Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 and West Propaganda
GLOBAL forces against pure sports, human simplicity, soft power orientations and last but not the least, successful diplomacy have once again raised doubts about Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 urging all countries to boycott it because of so-called Chinese state policy against various minorities and regional countries.
The so-called international human right advocacy group disseminated false, fake, fabricated and fictional propaganda against China and its policies towards ethnic minorities.
Conversely sport diplomacy has become a game-changer in the power politics. Sports stand for determination, courage, friendship and hospitality whereas power politics replicates destruction, conspiracy, enmity and horrendous crimes and the US and the West have been staunch proponents of these deeds in the past.
Beijing Winter Olympics (BWOs) will be held on February 2022. China will also host the Paralympic Winter Games during 2022, making Beijing the first city in the world to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games and the second capital city to host winter Olympic Games after Oslo-1952. It is destined to write a splendid chapter in the annals of Olympic history. It also held Olympic game in 2008.
“Together for a Shared Future” is the official motto of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. It highlights the power of the games to overcome global challenges as a community, with a shared future for humankind.
Most recently, UN General Assembly adopted consensus resolution spotlighting unifying power of sports. While introducing the text, Chinese representative agreed that Olympic values are consistent with the United Nations mission to preserve international peace and security.
He assured that China would be committed to hosting a green, open and inclusive Winter Olympic Games in 2022 which will build resilience to the COVID 19 pandemic as it fosters tolerance and mutual understanding.
He called on Member States to reject any acts that undermine the Olympic values and remain open to the peaceful resolution of disputes.
In this direction, hopefully the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 will promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It will translate Chinese ancient philosophy of pursuit of purity into reality and will inspire the Chinese people and help to create a harmonious world.
It will also showcase Chinese President Xi Jiping holistic policy of shared prosperity and common civilizations which are enriched by exchanges and mutual learning.
In this connection, The Beijing Winter Olympic will be conducive to advancing both China’s sports, social and economic development as well as the development of World Olympic Movement, facilitating mutual exchanges between Chinese civilization and other civilizations and once again offering Chinese people an opportunity to contribute to Olympic Movement and the dissemination of Olympic spirit.
Hopefully, Beijing Winter Olympics will promote the popularization and development of ice and snow sports to encourage in-depth international exchanges and cooperation and contribute to sustainable development and the promotion of Olympic legacies.
Moreover, it will be an ideal platform for further strengthening of mutual understanding and friendship of peoples of all countries.
In this context, China adopts a green, inclusive, open and clean approach to hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, in alignment with China’s efforts to jointly build the Belt and Road and push forward ecological protection.
It will lead to closer ties between athletes and promote friendship and understanding around the world.
Unfortunately, activists and politicians of the US and the EU have been calling for a boycott over China’s so-called approach towards Xijiang’s Uygurs, Hong Kong, Taiwan.
Some campaigners have urged Western governments to consider a diplomatic boycott, which would see competitors travel to Beijing, but diplomats, heads of state and government officials would decline invitations to attend.
Some Republican and Democratic politicians in the US, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have also voiced support for some version of a boycott. Pelosi called for a “diplomatic boycott” that would see heads of state refrain from attending while still allowing athletes to compete in the games; Sen.
Mitt Romney proposed an economic boycott and a diplomatic one, urging American spectators not to attend in person to reduce the revenue Beijing makes from their tourism.
Lawmakers in other countries have made similar calls.
Olympic boycotts have a complicated and somewhat messy history.
The last time the US tried it in earnest during the 1980 Moscow Olympics to protest the former Soviet Union’s Afghanistan invasion.
Moscow registered America’s displeasure, but the effort did little to actually sway policy, while creating controversies at home and denying many athletes their one shot at a medal.
So far, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, which represents American athletes, has strongly rejected the idea of a boycott and instead advocates using the games to showcase American values.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which runs the games, has said it must stay “neutral on all global political issues,” though that may be more wishful thinking than reality.
In Britain, campaigners leapt on a statement by Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg when he said that “no tickets have been booked” for British ministers to attend the Winter Games.
US President Joe Biden has hinted that such a move might be in the offing, while Australia also said it is thinking it over.
Even incoming German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock became the highest profile European figure to float the idea.
in 2008, three years into her chancellorship, Angela Merkel became the first world leader to decide not to attend the Beijing Olympics in Beijing.
As expected the Lithuanian government said that it would not be sending ministers to Beijing, nor will President Gitanas Nausëda be attending, amid an escalating feud with China over its relationship with Taiwan. Chinese Foreign Ministry has reacted furiously to any talk of a boycott.
To conclude, I submit that sports must not be mingled with dirty power politics because boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics for political reasons will harm the interests of athletes, violate the common ideals and pursuits of the international community and is unpopular.
Hopefully, new artificial intelligence technologies will be showcased during the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 and Paralympic Winter Games, with robots, new-energy vehicles and other high-tech products.
Despite the US and the EU criticism the government of Pakistan has expressed its strong support for Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. It believes that China will surely hold the most successful Winter Olympic Games.
It seems that under the leadership of President Xi, the Chinese government and the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are committed to the mission of hosting “green, inclusive, open and clean” Olympic Winter Games throughout the whole preparation work.
Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 will support the concept of ecological priority, resources conservation and environmental friendliness.
—The writer is Director, Geopolitics/Economics, Regional geopolitical expert of China, CPEC & BRI.
