Although the Winter Olympic Games is a more modest affair than the summer events, hosting them is a major national operation even for a superpower like China, especially when it is forced to deal with the difficulties and restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like any host country, China too wants to leverage the Games to improve its image – but that is not its only goal.
In recent years, the United States and other countries such as Japan, Canada, France, Australia, and Germany have criticized China on three key issues – its aggressive economic policies, lack of cooperation with the international community in the early stages of the pandemic, and human rights violations, led by the policy of oppression of the Uyghur minority in western China.
The Olympics were seen by China as an excellent opportunity for it to demonstrate its capabilities in exemplary organization of the Games, thereby contributing to the strengthening of international brotherhood and the sense of human victory over nature's hazards. But then the US intervened with its decision, joined by other countries, not to send political representatives to the opening ceremony. Despite the presence of the UN Secretary-General, the presidents of Russia and Egypt, and more, the absence of other leaders, and especially criticism from officials and media articles, put Chinese diplomacy on the offensive.
The official announcements from the Chinese embassies indicate the spirit of the directives blowing from Beijing. In some of the announcements (Canada, Israel), sharp formal appeals to local governments were reported. Most have charged that all criticism of China is based on lies, rumors, and preconceptions (Germany, Canada, France, and Israel). Two embassies (in Canada and Germany) noted that the human rights situation in China is "at its best," and other posts have even criticized the human rights situation in the countries themselves, such as Canada, in which the embassy used the word "genocide." Similarly, the direct response from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman to the US was in the spirit of "you will not teach us what human rights are." However, a somewhat conciliatory and different tone was heard in the German embassy response, conveying a willingness to work with other countries on improving human rights issues "on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs." In addition, most of the Chinese reactions in the world have emphasized the principle of separating sports from politics.
The response of the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv includes most of the components of responses from other capitals, but with additional characteristics, such as the statement that the politicization of the games is done by some anti-Chinese elements acting "like clowns," and, "We warn the forces casting a stain on China and undermining the friendly relations between China and Israel: justice will always prevail. Their plot will never succeed."
From reading the posts and articles in the Chinese media it is clear the diplomatic boycott and criticism in several countries, such as articles in Israeli newspapers, have hit a Chinese nerve that was exposed long before the Winter Games began and will remain so long after they end.
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Although the Winter Olympic Games is a more modest affair than the summer events, hosting them is a major national operation even for a superpower like China, especially when it is forced to deal with the difficulties and restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like any host country, China too wants to leverage the Games to improve its image – but that is not its only goal.
In recent years, the United States and other countries such as Japan, Canada, France, Australia, and Germany have criticized China on three key issues – its aggressive economic policies, lack of cooperation with the international community in the early stages of the pandemic, and human rights violations, led by the policy of oppression of the Uyghur minority in western China.
The Olympics were seen by China as an excellent opportunity for it to demonstrate its capabilities in exemplary organization of the Games, thereby contributing to the strengthening of international brotherhood and the sense of human victory over nature's hazards. But then the US intervened with its decision, joined by other countries, not to send political representatives to the opening ceremony. Despite the presence of the UN Secretary-General, the presidents of Russia and Egypt, and more, the absence of other leaders, and especially criticism from officials and media articles, put Chinese diplomacy on the offensive.
The official announcements from the Chinese embassies indicate the spirit of the directives blowing from Beijing. In some of the announcements (Canada, Israel), sharp formal appeals to local governments were reported. Most have charged that all criticism of China is based on lies, rumors, and preconceptions (Germany, Canada, France, and Israel). Two embassies (in Canada and Germany) noted that the human rights situation in China is "at its best," and other posts have even criticized the human rights situation in the countries themselves, such as Canada, in which the embassy used the word "genocide." Similarly, the direct response from a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman to the US was in the spirit of "you will not teach us what human rights are." However, a somewhat conciliatory and different tone was heard in the German embassy response, conveying a willingness to work with other countries on improving human rights issues "on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs." In addition, most of the Chinese reactions in the world have emphasized the principle of separating sports from politics.
The response of the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv includes most of the components of responses from other capitals, but with additional characteristics, such as the statement that the politicization of the games is done by some anti-Chinese elements acting "like clowns," and, "We warn the forces casting a stain on China and undermining the friendly relations between China and Israel: justice will always prevail. Their plot will never succeed."
From reading the posts and articles in the Chinese media it is clear the diplomatic boycott and criticism in several countries, such as articles in Israeli newspapers, have hit a Chinese nerve that was exposed long before the Winter Games began and will remain so long after they end.
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