China will get credibility if they host Winter Olypmics which they do not deserve: Pompeo

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 18 yet again slammed China and said that permitting Beijing to host next year’s Winter Olympics would give the country a credibility boost similar to what was enjoyed by Nazi Germany after the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin. While speaking on Fox News, Pompeo said that there are “eerie similarities” between what happened in the 1930s and what’s happening in western China today. He added that hosting the Olympic Games - as the Germans were able to do in 1936 - will give “great credibility” to the regime. 

Pompeo said, “We ought not to permit that to happen. The International Olympic Committee has a responsibility to make sure that the host for these games deserve it. This regime certainly does not”. 

"We know the history, and those of us who have worked with our friends in Israel and have worked on anti-Semitism, have talked about never allowing what happened in the 1930s to happen again ...," he added.

Biden administration took “good actions”

It is worth noting that the Winter Olympics is slated to be held between February 4 to February 20 next year in Beijing. While speaking to the media outlet, Pompeo even said that US President Joe Biden administration had given him “hope for optimism” with their early action towards China. He said that the new administration took “good actions” against their senior leaders, with respect to Hong Kong. 

The former US Secretary of State added, “What we need to see the administration doing is what we [the Trump administration] did. When they're violating basic norms for trade, we need to impose costs on them. Former President Trump placed tariffs on Chinese products. When they're stealing our secrets, we kick them out of the consulate in Houston when they were conducting espionage there. You need real deeds, real action. So that's the only thing that China's President Xi Jinping can possibly understand”. 

“That's what we need to do to secure American freedom and protect hard-working people all across our country. China does present the greatest existential threat to our country, and we need an administration -- I think the American people will demand an administration -- that pushes back against that and protects us all,” Pompeo said. 

Further, Pompeo also said that he felt it was “childish” of Biden to call Russian President Vladimir Putin a “killer”. He said that what matters for the US is preserving the country’s freedom and security. Pompeo said that the Biden administration should put America first and like the previous Trump administration did with respect to Russia. 

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP)