China slams U.S. call for diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

People ski at a ski field during a snowfall in Chongli District of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 18, 2020. (Photo by Wu Diansen/Xinhua)

BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to some individuals of the United States calling for diplomatic boycott of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a press briefing that based on ideology and political prejudice, a few individuals in the U.S. used the so-called human rights issue to smear China in an attempt to interfere with, hinder and disrupt the preparation and holding of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on human rights grounds.

"The remarks of a few U.S. individuals are full of lies and false information. It is a typical U.S. farce and is doomed to fail," Zhao said.

Zhao said the Olympic Charter clearly requires the maintenance and promotion of the independence and political neutrality of the Olympic sports. The politicization of sports violates the spirit of the Olympic Charter and harms the interests of athletes from all countries and the international Olympic cause, which is definitely opposed by the international community.

The preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics are progressing smoothly and have been highly regarded by the International Olympic Committee, Zhao said, urging some U.S. politicians to stop playing despicable political tricks with Olympic sports and stop standing on the opposite side of global athletes and winter Olympic fans.