Australia joins diplomatic boycott of US Winter Olympics in Beijing | Winter Olympics News

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated that China is unwilling to speak with government officials and cites alleged violations of its rights to decide.

Australia will not send officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday, citing a diplomatic boycott of the US event and the risk of escalating relations with China.

The United States announced its own boycott on Monday, he referred to China’s “human rights abuses”, angered China, and warned of “decisive countermeasures” in response.

Despite the threat, Morrison has said he will join the diplomatic boycott of Canberra.

“Australian government officials (so they won’t go to China for these games). Australian athletes will do the same,” Morrison told Sydney reporters.

A formal boycott is more risky Strengthening Australia’s relations with China, its largest trading partner, after Canberra introduced foreign interference laws, banned Huawei Technologies from its 5G broadband network and called for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19. The final decision to acquire nuclear power submarines Tension has increased according to the AUKUS treaty.

Morrison also mentioned alleged human rights violations Xinjiang the region and Beijing’s unwillingness to decide to boycott it as a key to talks with Australian officials.

“There has been no obstacle on our part to make this happen, but the Chinese government has not consistently accepted these opportunities to convene on these issues,” he said.

Beijing has imposed tariffs on a number of Australian products and products, including coal, beef, barley and wine.

Morrison said the further trade breach would be “completely and utterly unacceptable.”

The Winter Olympics will begin in February next year.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said on Tuesday that his government had not yet decided whether the delegates would attend the games.

The right-wing Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday that officials were considering limited government assistance, which would stop the full diplomatic boycott.

The Australian Olympic Committee has said the diplomatic boycott will not affect the 40 athletes who will compete.