China receives Visa applications from US officials to attend Beijing Winter Olympics

Days after the US announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, China said that it has received multiple VISA applications from relevant US officials who aim to witness the winter games. The overturn of events was announced on Monday with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying that it will process the applications as per “international practice, relevant regulations, and principle reciprocity.” It is worth mentioning that earlier this month, the White House slapped fresh economic sanctions and visa bans on Chinese officials in wake of alleged human rights violations. 

The Biden administration, along with West, has lambasted China for killing and torturing thousands of Uyghurs in Xinjiang camps. “We are determined to put human rights at the center of our foreign policy and we reaffirm this commitment by using appropriate tools and authorities to draw attention to and promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses, no matter where they occur,” US State Secretary Antony Blinken said.  However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has blatantly denied the allegations, labeling it as American interference in its internal affairs. 

'Diplomatic Boycott'

On December 6, the White House confirmed a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Affirming the development, press secretary Jen Psaki, on Monday announced that the Biden administration will not send any diplomatic representatives to the 2022 event. The White House Press Secretary also confirmed that this is US' stand against Chinese human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The Chinese Communist Party is waging a targeted campaign against Uyghur Muslims in the region. The boycott was soon joined by Canada, Australia, and Japan.

Meanwhile, in response to the Biden administration’s decision, China accused the US of violating the Olympic spirit. According to AP, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian vowed that Beijing would respond with “firm countermeasures”, however, he gave no details. China also called the diplomatic boycott a “political manipulation” by the United States. Separately, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said that politicians calling for a boycott are “doing so for their own political interests and posturing”.