Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it will join the U.S. in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games.
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 over recent years.
“I’m doing it because it’s in Australia’s national interest,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“I’m doing it because it’s in Australia’s national interest,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
He said Australian athletes would still compete.
Rights groups have pushed for a full-blown boycott of the games, accusing China of rights abuses against ethnic minorities.
Rights groups have pushed for a full-blown boycott of the games, accusing China of rights abuses against ethnic minorities.
The U.S. and Australian decisions fall short of those calls but come at an exceptionally turbulent time for international relations and have been met with a barrage of criticism from China.
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