Beijing Olympics 2022 & India's Diplomatic Boycott

Ground Report, New Delhi: Beijing Olympics Boycott; Beijing Olympics have kick started but the venue for the opening ceremony faced diplomatic boycott by numerous countries, such as the U.S.A, Australia, and Britain. 

On Thursday evening, the Indian envoy to China announced that India will not be present for the opening ceremony on February 04,2022. China is not leaving any stone unturned for irking India. 

Regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics. The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics: @MEAIndia on reports of China making Galwan soldier torchbearer pic.twitter.com/y5qoJbgVEQ

— PB-SHABD (@PBSHABD) February 3, 2022

India supported China hosting the Winter Olympics 2022 but now is furious because China has been trying to politicise the Olympics as well. In a meeting held in November, 2021 regarding the Beijing Winter Olympics,2022 and Paralympics Games among the foreign ministers of Russia-India-China, India showed its crystal clear support to China for being the Beijing Olympics host. 

However, On Wednesday, 02 February 2022, People Liberation Army (PLA) regiment Commander Qi Fabao, was chosen as a torchbearer in the Beijing Olympics by the Chinese authorities. In the Galwan Valley Clash, The horrific conflict, which saw soldiers attacking each other with rocks, batons, and clubs wrapped in barbed wire, claimed the lives of twenty Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese soldiers. Qi's appearance in the relay with 1,200 torchbearers was played up by China's state media, as it did in the recent case of videos of PLA personnel enjoying the New Year in Galwan Valley. 

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, stated that “It is indeed regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Winter Olympics”

The United States announced last month that its diplomats would not attend the games in protest of China's repression of the Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region, and Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Denmark, and the Netherlands have also stated that they will not send officials or diplomats to the event.

After criticising Western countries for "politicising" the Winter Olympics, China deployed the PLA regiment commander for the torch relay in Beijing. According to people acquainted with the situation, China has shown little consideration for India's sensitivities in such affairs.

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO, Prasar Bharati further tweeted that they won’t be telecasting the opening and the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Consequent to the announcement by @meaindia, @ddsportschannel will not telecast live the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing. https://t.co/sSP1EX9pSQ

— Shashi Shekhar Vempati शशि शेखर (@shashidigital) February 3, 2022

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Chairman, applauded India on their decision of boycotting the opening of Beijing Olympics and stated that “I applaud India for joining the diplomatic boycott. We stand with all the countries that  reject the CCP’s heinous human rights abuses and cold blooded effort to turn Olympics 2022 into a political victory lap.” 

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