This decision, motivated by many disagreements with China, intervenes in the aftermath of a similar announcement made by the United States. Forty Australian athletes will nevertheless participate in the Games.
Le Monde with AFP
After the United States, here is the tour of Australia. Canberra will not send a diplomatic representative at the Beijing Olympic Games of Beijing 2022, said Wednesday 8 December, his Prime Minister Scott Morrison, joining the diplomatic boycott announced Monday by Washington.
“Australia will not come back to the firm position it has adopted to defend its interests, and it is obviously not surprising that we did not send Australian officials to these games,” A-T -He declared.
Canberra’s decision intervenes in a context of “disagreement” with China on a number of issues, including Australian laws on foreign interference and the recent decision to acquire nuclear-propulsion submarines, specified Mr. Morrison.
This decision, which does not prevent athletes from participating in the Games, intervenes in the aftermath of the United States of their diplomatic boycott, in the name of the defense of human rights.
m. Morrison also indicated that human rights violations in the Xinjiang region and the reluctance of Beijing to meet Australian leaders for discussions had motivated the Australian decision. “The Chinese government has never accepted that we meet to discuss these issues,” he advanced.
No impact on the preparation of Australian athletes
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) stated that it respected the government’s decision, adding that it would not have an impact on the preparations for the Australian team.
“The AOC is very attentive to what team members can go to China safely, given the complexity of the coronavirus-related environment, while our athletes leave sites at the foreigner, “said Managing Director Matt Carroll.
“Bring athletes to Beijing safely, make them compete safely and keep them safely at home remains our biggest challenge,” he added.
About 40 Australian athletes should participate in the Beijing Games, which will open on February 4th.
Tensions, including commercial, between Australia and China have not stopped growing since 2018, marked in particular by a freeze-level diplomatic relations for two years.
of Long live tension for several months between Canberra and Beijing
In particular, China has been irritated by Australian decisions regarding foreign interference, the prohibition of 5G contracts in Huawei and the request for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
A large number of Australian products, including barley, coal, cotton, lobster, sugar, wine, beef, citrus fruits, cereals and dairy products, have all been the subject of Sanctions from its main trading partner.
The decision of Australia to equip its navy by nuclear-powered submarines as part of a new defense pact with Great Britain and the United States, widely regarded as an attempt to counter the Chinese influence in the Pacific region, also sparked the IRE from Beijing.