France will not join the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to be held early next year, President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, saying that doing so would be “insignificant.”
At a news conference, Macron said, “To be clear: You either have a complete boycott, and not send athletes, or you try to change things with useful actions.” He added that he favours measures with an increased possibility of a beneficial outcome.
The French leader questioned the credibility of a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, saying it is merely a symbolic move. Macron said he would instead work with the International Olympic Committee to ensure the protection of athletes, citing the recent misgiving with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. Peng disappeared from the public eye for three weeks after she accused former Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault, drawing worldwide suspicion and concern about her whereabouts and safety.
Meanwhile, speaking at a joint press conference with his new German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, in Paris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the discussion surrounding a diplomatic boycott of the games in Beijing calls for a common European position.
Education and Sports Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer also warned against politicising the issue, saying, “We need to be careful about the link between sports and politics.” He added, “Sports is a world apart that needs to be protected from political interference. If not, things can get out of control, and it could end up killing all of the competitions.” However, he said France would continue to call out China on human rights violations and announced that he would not be travelling to Beijing to represent the French government. Junior Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu would attend the games in place of Blanquer.
At this stage, the United States (US), Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and Lithuania are among the countries to have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics due to human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. New Zealand has also decided to boycott the games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While their athletes will participate in the Games, the countries refused to send leaders and politicians to the event. Apart from these countries, Japan is also considering a diplomatic boycott. However, like France, Italy has refused to follow the US’ lead, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has already accepted an invitation to the Games.
Human rights groups have backed the US’ efforts to lead a diplomatic boycott of the games. Human Rights Watch China Director Sophie Richardson called it a crucial step in highlighting the Chinese government’s crimes against Uyghurs and other Turkic communities. At the same time, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said he had accepted the invitation to attend the Games’ in February 2022.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has accepted an invitation from the International Olympic Committee to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022, said his spokesman on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/9JsE3XpruZ
— libijian李碧建 (@libijian2) December 10, 2021
In response to the boycott, China has threatened Western nations with countermeasures, saying they would pay the price for the move. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has accused the US, the UK, and Australia of using the games for political manipulation. Additionally, on Wednesday, Chinese state media claimed that the country had never invited leaders and politicians from the US and other Western countries in the first place.
#FMsays The United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada will see Beijing's successful hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics, whether their officials come to the Games or not, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday. https://t.co/MPQsLjpckD
— China Daily (@ChinaDaily) December 10, 2021
Relations between the Western countries, including the US and Australia, and China have been strained in recent years due to Beijing’s repression of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang region, a crackdown on political freedom in Hong Kong, and attempts to change status quo in the Indo-Pacific region.