(TibetanReview.net, Jan05’22) – To apparently make a point of reaffirming China’s determination to hold the Beijing Winter Olympics Feb 2022 in the face of boycott calls in protest against its deplorable human rights record and the global surge in the highly infectious Omicron variant of the Covid-19 pandemic, President Xi Jinping has undertaken an inspection of the preparations for the Games on Jan 4.
Xi visited the National Speed Skating Oval, Main Media Center, Athletes’ Village, Games-time Operations Command Center and a winter sports training base, learning about Games preparatory work as well as Chinese athletes’ preparations for the Games, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Jan 4.
The report said Xi also extended New Year greetings to athletes, coaches, volunteers and representatives of operation teams, media and scientific research staff.
The 2022 Winter Olympics will take place from Feb 4 to 20, followed by the Paralympic Winter Games from Mar 4 to 13, with Japan becoming the latest country to make it clear that it will not be sending any government representative to the Games, citing China’s human rights record.
Tibet and other campaigners as well as human right groups have continued to press countries to boycott the Games to make a point of standing up against the Chinese government for its brutal repression of human rights of its citizens and its genocidal policies.
