Instead, the attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and others, will send out an image not just of China’s increasing distance from the West, but of an emerging bloc of Beijing-friendly authoritarian leaders.
Putin — who is scheduled to meet Xi on Friday — released a letter in China’s state media on Thursday, praising the “new era” of relations between China and Russia. He also pointed to the growing economic and energy ties between the neighboring countries and cited plans to discuss key issues on “regional and global agendas” with the Chinese leader.
Xi is also expected to host bilateral meetings and a banquet for attending dignitaries — including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, according to Beijing.
Last week, a coalition of over 200 organizations called for more nations to join the diplomatic boycott.
“It’s not possible for the Olympic Games to be a ‘force for good,’ as the International Olympic Committee claims, while the host government is committing grave crimes in violation of international law,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement promoting the boycott call.
The New York-based organization has also warned athletes traveling to the Games about speaking out on human rights issues while in China, over concerns they will run afoul of Chinese regulations.
Beijing has pushed back strongly on what it views as a “politicization” of the Olympics, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying late last year that diplomatic boycotts would not impact the Games.
The “political maneuvering of a few Western politicians will do no harm to a splendid Olympic Games, but only expose their ugly intention,” he said.
The International Olympic Committee hails the Games as an outlet for “peaceful competition” among nations.
Apart from athletic competition, the Games have long been a vehicle for world leaders to meet informally, and as an opportunity either to rub shoulders while cheering their teams or for calculated snubs.
This year’s Olympics is set to be even more restrained, as stringent Covid-19 protocols have discouraged those in the stands from cheering. Tokyo’s Summer Olympics, held last year, also saw diminished attendance of world leaders, due largely to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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