China calls for ‘end of US interference’ in Olympics
As of 12:57 p.m
The way to Beijing in time lapse
The hosting of the Winter Olympics in Beijing has met with criticism from around the world. How did the award come about, when did the boycott discussions begin and how is the pandemic affecting the preparations? The way to Beijing in time lapse.
China is angered by the political boycott of the Olympics by countries like the US. The Beijing Foreign Ministry has now informed US Secretary of State Blinken that no further discord is desired. The pressure from the US will only unite the Chinese people more, it said.
China calls on the US to “end interference” in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Foreign Minister Wang Yi raised the demand in a phone call with his American counterpart Antony Blinken, the Beijing Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday. US pressure will only unite the Chinese people and will not prevent the country from becoming stronger.
China’s foreign minister did not elaborate on the allegation of interference. But China is angry about the political boycott of the games by the US government, which is not sending senior officials to Beijing for the opening ceremony on Friday next week. Athletes from the USA, on the other hand, will take part in the games.
The US has sharply criticized the human rights situation in China and its treatment of minorities such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans. In any case, the relationship between the two rivals is worse than it has been for a long time. Washington is also concerned about China’s threats to free Taiwan, which Beijing regards as part of the People’s Republic and which is supported by the United States.
In the call, Wang Yi warned Blinken against “playing with fire” on the Taiwan issue or forging alliances with other countries to stem China’s rise.
The federal government is not seeking a diplomatic boycott
Meanwhile, it has also become known that German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht will not be traveling to Beijing for the opening ceremony of the games. This was announced by the SPD politician at the request of “t-online”. “Neither the Federal Minister of Defense nor any other representative of the ministry’s management level intends to travel to the 2022 Winter Olympics,” said a spokesman for the ministry. A good third of the 149 German Olympic starters are sports soldiers.
At least for the time being, the federal government is not aiming for a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games. There is still a will to “find a Europe-wide solution,” said a government spokesman for the portal on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s plans. He had said in mid-January that he had not yet made a decision about a possible diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games. Talks are being sought with many others, “because we want to act in a coordinated manner here,” emphasized the SPD politician after his inaugural visit to French President Emmanuel Macron.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) assumes that the Chancellor will also stay away. “According to the current state of knowledge, we do not expect that we will accredit guests from German politics at the Winter Olympics,” said a spokesman.
Amnesty calls for freedom of expression for athletes
Countries like Canada and the UK have joined a US initiative. It stipulates that no government representatives will be sent to Beijing. China has been criticized for human rights abuses in dealing with Uyghurs and Tibetans, for its repression of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong and for threats against Taiwan.
Amnesty International therefore demanded that athletes at the games in Beijing be able to speak freely about the human rights situation in China. “There must be no restrictions here,” said Theresa Bergmann, the organization’s China expert in Germany. This must also apply to issues that the Chinese government considers “sensitive”: “The International Olympic Committee is responsible for ensuring this.”
An international lawyer’s urgent appeal to Olympic athletes
Several Olympic participants have already expressed criticism of the human rights situation in the host country, China. International law expert Hanno Schedler warns the athletes of possible consequences – and makes a clear demand on the associations.
According to Amnesty, “crimes against humanity” are happening in China. “And on at least three counts, namely imprisonment, persecution and torture.” A prominent example is the situation in the north-west region of Xinjiang, where members of the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs or Kazakhs were targeted by the Chinese state. “The main thing is to strip these people of their ethnic and religious identity.”
At least a million illegally detained
Human Rights Watch made the same allegations. The situation is even worse than in 2015, when Beijing was chosen as the venue. “We see the total oppression of the Muslim population in the province of Xinjiang,” said Wenzel Michalski, Germany head of the human rights organization, in an interview with Bayerischer Rundfunk. He spoke of mass internment, forced labour, forced sterilization and torture.
At least a million people have been illegally detained there since 2017, according to Amnesty International. “It’s absolutely terrible in the camps,” said Bergmann. “People often don’t know why they are there.” Reasons for an arrest could be stays or contacts abroad, using WhatsApp, practicing Islam or violating the one-child policy.
Tensions between the ruling Han Chinese and ethnic minorities have long existed in Xinjiang. Since the bloody riots in 2009 and several terrorist attacks, the security forces have been cracking down. The Uyghurs lament cultural and religious oppression, while Beijing accuses them of separatism. After taking power in Beijing in 1949, the communists incorporated the former East Turkestan into the People’s Republic.
The five biggest criticisms of the Beijing Winter Games
The criticism of the upcoming Winter Games in Beijing does not stop. Several countries have already announced diplomatic boycotts because of the human rights violations that have been denounced for a long time. But that’s not the only problem.
