Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian called Washington’s accusations on alleged abuses against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region a defamation campaign and stressed zero tolerance to interference in the country’s internal affairs.

“The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are a showcase for athletes from all over the world. Politicizing sports is against the Olympic spirit and harms the interests of athletes,” the official added.

Zhao responded after US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that he is considering a “diplomatic boycott” of the winter event.

Specifically, the action would mean that Biden or other US Government officials would not attend the multi-sport event as is customary in such competitions, but the United States would send its athletes, The Hill stated.

China is ready to host the Winter Olympics in February 2022 and then the Winter Paralympics in March, and will become the first city globally to host both a summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games after it staged the Summer Olympic Games in 2008.

pgh/iff/mem/ymr