Beijing 2022 Olympic Games: Australia will not send a diplomatic representative either – archyde

After the United States, here is Australia’s turn. Canberra will not send any diplomatic representatives to the Beijing Winter Olympics, which will be held in February 2022, its Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday (December 8th), joining the diplomatic boycott. announced Monday by Washington. “Australia will not go back on the strong stance it has taken to defend its interests, and it is obviously not surprising that we do not send Australian officials to these Games”, did he declare.

Canberra’s decision comes against a backdrop of ” disagreement “ with China on a number of issues, including Australia’s foreign interference laws and the recent decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, Morrison said.

This decision, which does not prevent athletes from participating in the Olympics, comes the day after the United States announced its diplomatic boycott, in the name of the defense of human rights.

Morrison also said human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region and Beijing’s reluctance to meet with Australian officials for talks had motivated his decision. “The Chinese government has never accepted that we meet to discuss these issues”, he said.

No impact on the preparation of Australian athletes

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said it respected the government’s decision, adding that it would not impact the Australian team’s preparations.

“The AOC takes great care to ensure that team members can travel to China safely, given the complexity of [la situation en raison du] coronavirus, while our athletes leave from sites abroad ”said Committee CEO Matt Carroll. “Getting athletes to Beijing safely, getting them to compete safely and getting them home safely is our biggest challenge.”, he added. About forty Australian athletes are expected to compete in the Beijing Games, which open on February 4.

Tensions, especially trade, between Australia and China have not stopped growing since 2018, marked in particular by a freeze of diplomatic relations at the highest level for two years.

Strong tensions between Canberra and Beijing

China has been particularly irritated by Australian decisions regarding foreign interference, the ban on local 5G contracts at Chinese tech group Huawei, and Canberra’s request for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

A large number of Australian products, including barley, coal, cotton, lobsters, sugar, wine, beef, citrus fruits, grains and dairy products, have all been subject to sanctions by the part of China, also Canberra’s main trading partner.

Australia’s decision to outfit its navy with nuclear-powered submarines as part of a new defense pact with the UK and the US, widely seen as an attempt to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, also aroused the ire of Beijing.