Boycotting the Beijing Olympic Games

[thomas]

The calls for a (diplomatic) boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics over China's human rights abuses are growing louder - and it's only ten weeks until the opening ceremony. A diplomatic or political boycott means that high-level government officials would refrain from travelling to the host country, while athletes would still participate in the Olympic events. Needless to say, a diplomatic boycott is only efficient if a large number of nations participate. As China is a (geo)political heavyweight, most countries will think twice about joining an eventual boycott.

A few weeks ago, China asked Japan to support the Winter Olympics:

China asked Thursday for the cooperation of Japan, the host of this summer's Tokyo Olympics, to run the Beijing Games safely, a day after a decision was made that no spectators from overseas can attend amid the pandemic. "Japan has just successfully hosted the Tokyo Olympics" without spectators at almost all venues, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. "China gave strong support to the Tokyo Olympics, so we hope we will receive the understanding and support of Japan."

China seeks support of Japan to run Beijing Olympics amid pandemic

The request came a day after the decision was made to have no overseas spectators because of ongoing coronavirus concerns.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Several conservative LDP members have started pressuring PM Kishida to "diplomatically boycott" the Beijing Winter Olympics scheduled for February to protest China's human rights practices.

"Sending a delegation of Japanese officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics would send the wrong signal to the international community because that would be equivalent to condoning of human rights oppression by China," said Shigeharu Aoyama, an Upper House member who heads the group that seeks to protect Japan's dignity and national interests. He spoke at a Dec. 3 news conference held after a group meeting. The group intends to submit a formal request for a diplomatic boycott to Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. Both the U.S. and British governments are also considering diplomatic boycotts to protest Beijing's human rights abuses targeting the Uighur ethnic minority as well as its recent clampdown on freedoms in Hong Kong.

LDP group eyes ‘diplomatic boycott’ of Beijing Olympics | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

It will be interesting to see how the planned boycott and Japan's possible participation will play out.

 

[thomas]

Now that the US, the UK, and Canada have declared their "diplomatic boycott", there will be a lot of teeth-sucking in Japan's administration...

Japan to assess situation after US announces 'diplomatic boycott' of Beijing Olympics - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- The Japanese government plans to carefully assess the situation and take appropriate measures in response to the United States'

mainichi.jp

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Why don't those who oppose the Tokyo Olympics oppose the Beijing Olympics?
Perhaps he loves the Chinese Communist Party more than human rights.

 

[thomas]

Why don't those who oppose the Tokyo Olympics oppose the Beijing Olympics?
Perhaps he loves the Chinese Communist Party more than human rights.

Different motivation: in Tokyo, it was about the pandemic; in Beijing, it's about human rights and other issues. I wouldn't go so far and assume that all of those not protesting the Winter Olympics support the CCP.

 

[mdchachi]

Different motivation: in Tokyo, it was about the pandemic; in Beijing, it's about human rights and other issues. I wouldn't go so far and assume that all of those not protesting the Winter Olympics support the CCP.

Did we boycott Beijing in 2008? If not, what's changed?

 

[thomas]

Xinjiang, Hongkong, South China Sea, etc. ... no one wants to play with the schoolyard bully.

 

[Petaris]

Xinjiang, Hongkong, South China Sea, etc. ... no one wants to play with the schoolyard bully.

And yet, most still will either because they are being bullied presently or because they don't want to be the next one bullied.

Its sad, but most countries will probably just roll over for China. Too much depends on their labor force and natural resources and too many countries have foolishly exported their manufacturing to China. Even if you want to re-establish manufacturing, it takes time and natural resources to do and you can't risk being cut off in the mean time.

 

[thomas]

Its sad, but most countries will probably just roll over for China. Too much depends on their labor force and natural resources and too many countries have foolishly exported their manufacturing to China. Even if you want to re-establish manufacturing, it takes time and natural resources to do and you can't risk being cut off in the mean time.

More nations will join in the diplomatic boycott with statements such as these (see below).

China says Australia, UK and US will ‘pay price’ for Winter Olympics snub

Beijing accuses nations of using Games ‘for political manipulation’ amid diplomatic boycotts

www.theguardian.com

And the 2008 Olympics faced opposition, too, especially from human rights organisations, but no boycott materialised.

 

[thomas]

China is pushing Japan to "demonstrate its basic faith,'' following reports that Tokyo is considering a quasi-diplomatic boycott of Beijing 2022 by dispatching only low-level officials.

In response to a Sankei Shimbun report, in which the Japanese government was said to be mulling an Olympic delegation without any cabinet members, China said on Thursday that it opposed the "politicization of sport under the pretext of so-called 'human rights and freedom.'" "China and Japan have an important consensus on mutual support for each other's hosting of the Olympic Games," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said. "China offered its full support to Japan's hosting of the Tokyo Olympics. Now it is Japan's turn to demonstrate its basic faith." Ties between Beijing and Tokyo have cooled in recent years over Chinese coast guard incursions into the waters around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which China also claims. Beijing has complained about Tokyo's role in the Quad grouping with the U.S., India and Australia, as well as its growing ties with democratic Taiwan.

China Tells Japan to Repay Faith as Tokyo Conservatives Seek Olympic Boycott

 

[Petaris]

More nations will join in the diplomatic boycott with statements such as these (see below).

China says Australia, UK and US will ‘pay price’ for Winter Olympics snub

Beijing accuses nations of using Games ‘for political manipulation’ amid diplomatic boycotts

www.theguardian.com

And the 2008 Olympics faced opposition, too, especially from human rights organisations, but no boycott materialised.

That was an interesting article. I can understand France's not wanting to mix politics and sports but they must know that China certainly does and their responses so far show it as plain as day.

I also thought that the Chinese response to the US motion to stop importing from that one region in China was a bit or a projection.

 

[thomas]

It looks as if Japan will not send cabinet ministers to the Olympics. France announced it will not participate in the diplomatic boycott, planning to send high-ranking state representatives to Beijing; with a seemingly good excuse: Paris hosts the 2024 Olympics.

Article expired

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Japan eyes not sending ministers to Beijing Olympics: sources - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan is considering not sending Cabinet ministers to next year's Beijing Olympics in line with a U.S.-led diplomatic boycott amid ri

mainichi.jp