U.S. ideas diplomatic boycott of Olympics China threatens to retaliate

WASHINGTON/BEIJING, Dec 6 (Reuters) – China will choose “countermeasures” in protest from a prepared U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Olympics if essential, Beijing’s overseas ministry stated on Monday.

The Biden administration is expected to announce on Monday that U.S. federal government officials will not attend the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, a source acquainted with the condition said Monday, confirming earlier reports by CNN and NBC.

The diplomatic boycott, which has been encouraged by some members of the U.S. Congress for months, would not have an affect on American athletes.

U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned last month that he was taking into consideration such a diplomatic boycott to protest China’s human rights file, which includes what Washington states is genocide in opposition to minority Muslims.

The White Household and Point out Section declined to comment.

All those contacting for a boycott are “grandstanding” and should cease “so as not to influence the dialogue and cooperation between China and the United States in vital spots”, claimed Zhao Lijian, China’s foreign ministry spokesman.

“If the U.S. insists in wilfully clinging to its program, China will take resolute countermeasures,” he reported at a information conference.

Reporting by Steve Holland, Brad Heath，Trevor Hunnicutt, Hemeyra Pamuk and Gabriel Crossley editing by Angus MacSwan, Chizu Nomiyama, Heather Timmons and Nick Macfie

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