US confirms diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics over 'genocide and crimes in Xinjiang'

The White House has 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. 

Psaki said the administration was sending a 'clear message' that the human rights abuses in China mean there cannot be 'business as usual'. 

"The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics games given the PRC's ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," Psaki said in the press briefing Monday.

It was expected for the US to make the announcement this week as a private discussion regarding the action has been going on for the past several days. The Biden administration has called for a diplomatic boycott without preventing US athletes from competing. In an earlier update, it was reported that the UK had also mulled at a diplomatic boycott while adding that "no tickets have been booked" for the UK ministers to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. 

What is happening in China's Xinjiang?

Recently, Chinese officials had demolished a dome in a park in Xinjiang that was built by an Uyghur residing in Turkey, several such reports have surfaced shedding light on the human rights abuse on the community. The dome was built by a Turkish resident, Mamattohti Imin who further claimed that Chinese officials called him 'a terrorist, a separatist.' The United States was the first country in the world to label Chinese actions in Xinjiang as "genocide" earlier this year. Whereas, the Canadian and Dutch parliaments passed measures in February declaring the Uyghur situation to be genocide. 

China has been chastised around the world for detaining Uyghur Muslims in huge detention facilities, interfering with their religious activities, and forcing community members to endure forceful re-education or brainwashing, according to several media reports. UK has also mulled at a diplomatic boycott while adding that "no tickets have been booked" for the UK ministers to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.