China said Australia, Britain and the United States would pay for their “mistakes” after deciding not to send government delegations to the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, in the latest warning showing rising diplomatic tensions between China and the United States and the United States. main allies.
The United States was the first to announce its boycott, and said on Monday that its governors would not attend the February games due to human rights “atrocities” in China, after weeks of talks aimed at easing tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
“The United States, Britain and Australia used the Olympic Games platform for political manipulation,” said Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. “They will have to pay for their mistakes,” he told a regular news conference.
Wang’s warning came as the European Union considers its response to the growing boycott call. On Thursday, French Education and Sports Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said in a radio interview that Paris would not do the same.
“We have to be careful about the connection between sport and politics,” Blanquer said. “Sports is a separate world, which needs to be protected from political interference. Otherwise, things could get out of hand and it could end up killing all competitions.”
French President Emmanuel Macron has sought to avoid direct confrontation with Beijing as his country’s relations with the United States, Britain and Australia soured after the tripartite Oaks security agreement in September.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had previously stated that Canberra’s decision to Don’t send employees to games It has been seized for its struggle to reopen diplomatic channels with China to discuss human rights in the far western region of Xinjiang and China’s moves to block Australia’s imports.
China has denied any wrongdoing in Xinjiang, the home of the Muslim Uighur minority, and said the allegations of rights abuses were fabricated.
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed legislation to ban imports from Xinjiang over concerns about forced labor, one of three measures backed by an overwhelming majority as Washington opposes Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghur community.
“China firmly opposes this,” said Gao Feng, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, referring to the US action.
The United States must stop its crimes immediately. “We will take necessary steps to firmly safeguard China’s legitimate rights and interests,” Gao said at a regular press conference.
He said the US was practicing unilateralism, protectionism and intimidating China in the name of “human rights”.
Gao warned that the US position will seriously harm the interests of businesses and consumers in both countries, exacerbate tensions in the global supply chain, and affect the global economic recovery.
The House of Representatives endorsed the Uyghur Prevention of Forced Labor Law with overwhelming number 428-1. For it to become law, it must pass the Senate and be signed by Joe Biden.
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