The US is likely to announce a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics games. Thereby, raising tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
According to the media site, which claimed multiple anonymous sources, the decision not to send any US government officials to the games, which begin on February 4, will be revealed this week.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the media.
A request for comment from the White House didn’t return yet.
Last month, US President Joe Biden said he was considering a diplomatic embargo of China to protest the country’s human rights record. It includes what the US alleges is genocide against Muslim minorities.
Activists and members of Congress also urged the administration to skip the games.
The White House declined to comment on CNN’s allegations on Sunday.
Four people familiar with the administration’s thinking claimed there was a growing agreement within the White House to keep US officials out of the Beijing Olympics, according to news reports.
A complete diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics is improbable. Thus US athletes will be able to compete. The last time the US boycotted the Olympics was in 1980 when former President Jimmy Carter was in office.