WASHINGTON (Dispatches) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has called for a “diplomatic boycott” of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in response to China’s human rights record.
“We cannot proceed as if nothing is wrong about the Olympics going to China,” Pelosi told Congress’ Human Rights Commission and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China during a hearing on the games, CNBC reported.
Pelosi suggested in her remarks that athletes should still be able to compete in the games but that world leaders and royalty should not travel to attend them in person.
“For heads of state to go to China, in light of a genocide that is ongoing while you’re sitting there in your seats, really begs the question: What moral authority do you have to speak about human rights any place in the world if you’re willing to pay your respects to the Chinese government as they commit genocide?” she added.
Pelosi blasted corporate sponsors of the games who “look the other way on China’s abuses out of concern for their bottom line”.
“If we don’t speak out against human rights violations in China for commercial reasons, we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights anywhere,” Pelosi continued.
Beijing has called allegations that it violates the human rights of Muslims in Xinjiang “lies and disinformation”.
The games are set to open on February 4, 2022.