Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday that Australia will join the US in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games, reports The Associated Press.
Morrison said it should come as no surprise that Australian officials would boycott the event after the nation’s relationship with China had broken down in recent years.
"I’m doing it because it’s in Australia’s national interest. It’s the right thing to do," stated the Prime Minister, who added that Australian athletes would still be able to compete.
Morrison’s announcement came after officials said that Australia will not send officials or politicians to China for the Winter Olympics but added that Morrison was still weighing whether to launch a full diplomatic boycott.
Several senior government sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed Australia would send some kind of signal to China over its human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong and the treatment of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.
Canada, Britain and several other European countries are also considering a diplomatic boycott, the report noted.
New Zealand has also announced it will not be sending diplomatic ministerial reps to the Beijing Winter Olympics, though it cited concerns over COVID-19 as the reason.