In this file photo taken on Oct 20, 2021, the
Olympic flame for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games on display in Beijing's Olympic Tower. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
UNITED NATIONS / BEIJING – A foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday that the United States would "pay a price for its erroneous actions".
Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when talking about countermeasures China would take in response to the US announcement of not sending any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics games.
China deplores and firmly opposes to the remarks of the US side. China has lodged stern representations with the United States, and will respond with firm countermeasures.
Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson
"China deplores and firmly opposes to the remarks of the US side," Zhao said at a daily press briefing. "China has lodged stern representations with the United States, and will respond with firm countermeasures."
The US practice gravely violates the principle of political neutrality enshrined in the Olympic Charter, runs counter to the Olympic motto of "together," and stands on the opposite side of global athletes and sports fans, he said.
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According to Olympic rules, officials are invited by their respective National Olympic Committee to attend the Olympic Games, and whether the US officials will come to the Beijing Winter Olympics and root for their own athletes is the US own business, Zhao said.
Despite not even being invited, the US side linked its officials' attendance with the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang, going down the wrong path further by distorting facts while cheating themselves as well as others, he added.
"The US political agenda wins no supports and is doomed to fail," Zhao said.
Zhao urged the United States to stop politicizing sports and disrupting and undermining the Beijing Winter Olympics, lest it should affect bilateral dialogue and cooperation in important areas and international and regional issues.
On Monday, the Chinese UN mission said the so-called "diplomatic boycott" of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics by the United States is a self-directed political farce.
The United States just wants to politicize sports, create divisions and provoke confrontation, a spokesperosn for the Chinese UN mission said
"Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are a gathering for all winter sports athletes and fans around the world. It is they that should be in the spotlight. The success of the games does not rely on the attendance of a handful of countries' government officials," said a spokesperson for the mission in a statement.
"As the host country, China is ready for the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, open to all athletes and guests. As for those who say they don't want to come, the answer is that whether you come or not, the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are there, and will be a success," read the statement.
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The US government's decision reflects its Cold War mentality. The United States just wants to politicize sports, create divisions and provoke confrontation. This approach will find no support and is doomed to fail, according to the statement.