Beijing Winter Olympics: Australia joins US diplomatic boycott; cites 'issues with China’

Australia will join the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and the government will keep official representatives at home, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday at a news conference in Sydney, Australian press reported. Speaking with reporters, Morrison said that it should come as a surprise that Australia has decided not to send official representatives to the Games given “a number” of issues pending discussions between both the nations. This includes Beijing’s reaction to the AUKUS pact and human rights abuses in China’s north-western Xinjiang region. 

"I am very happy to talk to the Chinese government about these issues, and there has been no obstacle to that occurring on our side but the Chinese government has consistently not taken those opportunities to meet with us about those issues," Australian leader Scott Morrison stressed during the conference. 

Morrison’s announcement came just a day after Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, said the Biden administration would boycott the Games in February due to “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang province on Uyghur minority group. China, meanwhile reacted to the decision, labelling the US’ move as “a serious violation of the principle of political neutrality”.

Bilateral ties between Australia and China have worsened since Australia signed a security alliance AUKUS with the UK and the US to counter Chinese aggression in the Indo Pacific. China, although is Australia’s biggest trading partner and accounted for approximately A$245bn (US$175bn) worth of trade last year, as per Australian government figures. 

Canada consulting allies on Beijing Games boycott

Canada is in discussion with its partners and allies about a potential diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, a foreign affairs spokesperson told media on Monday, December 6. Pressure is mounting on the Canadian government to commit to a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Olympics games in China, following the diplomatic boycott by the US, Canadian broadcaster CTV reported. 

Christelle Chartrand, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said in a statement to CTV: “Canada remains deeply disturbed by the troubling reports of human rights violations in China. We were notified of the US decision and we will continue to discuss this matter with our partners and allies." Earlier yesterday, Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole also reportedly said that Canada has been he’s been consulting with domestic and international Olympic committee officials to take a middle ground to display Canada’s “profound displeasure” with China’s conduct, while also respecting the right of athletes to compete in the upcoming 2022 Beijing Olympics games.