The US is considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, President Joe Biden has confirmed. This would mean that a delegation of US officials would not attend the opening of the Olympics in February. The move would be a protest over alleged human rights practices in China. "[It is] something we are considering," Mr Biden said as he sat down for a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Mr Biden previously announced in November that Washington would consider not sending a delegation of officials to the games. The White House said it had “serious concerns about the human rights abuses we have seen in Xinjiang”. Washington has also accused Beijing of curtailing political freedoms in Hong Kong and increasing military pressure on Taiwan, which receives strong US support. Australia and Canada are also reportedly considering diplomatic boycotts of the games. Governments typically send a high-ranking delegation of diplomats to opening ceremonies in a show of international support for the thousands of athletes from around the world who participate. The 2022 Winter Olympics are expected to run from February 4 to February 20. Activists and some members of Congress from both parties have been pressing the Biden administration to diplomatically boycott the event. The US government has accused China of carrying out a genocide against Muslim ethnic groups in its western Xinjiang region, accusations that Beijing denies.
