India Announces Diplomatic Boycott of Winter Olympics after China Honours Galwan PLA Commander
16:01 GMT 03.02.2022 (Updated: 10:41 GMT 19.07.2022)
© REUTERS / THOMAS PETER
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India expressed its support for China to host the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games at the 18th Russia-India-China foreign ministers meeting last November. On Wednesday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) regiment commander, involved in the Galwan clash with India, was chosen to carry the Winter Olympic torch in Beijing.
India's Foreign Ministry on Thursday declared it was "regrettable" that China had "politicised an event like Olympics" by inviting a PLA commander – who was involved in the Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh – to be a torchbearer.
Arindam Bagchi, the Indian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, has announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics after the Chinese government made PLA regimental commander Qi Fabao a torchbearer in Wednesday's torch relay in Beijing.
Arindam Bagchi, the Indian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, has announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics after the Chinese government made PLA regimental commander Qi Fabao a torchbearer in Wednesday's torch relay in Beijing.
Qi was severely injured during the Galwan clash in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed.
"I wish to inform that our Charge d'Affaires (topmost diplomat) of the Embassy of India in Beijing will not be attending the opening or the closing ceremony of the Beijing '22 Winter Olympics," the spokesman added.
Qi Fabao, a PLA regiment commander who sustained head injury while fighting bravely in the #Galwan Valley border skirmish with #India, is a torchbearer during Wed’s #Beijing2022 Winter Olympic Torch Relay. pic.twitter.com/aWtWTDsVKF
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) February 2, 2022
Soon after the announcement by the foreign ministry, India's public broadcaster Doordarshan said it would not live telecast the opening or closing ceremony.
Consequent to the announcement by @meaindia, @ddsportschannel will not telecast live the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing. https://t.co/sSP1EX9pSQ
— Shashi Shekhar Vempati शशि शेखर (@shashidigital) February 3, 2022
The Winter Olympics open on Friday, which will be attended by President Xi Jinping and more than a dozen world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin, five Central Asian Presidents, and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
China and Russia previously hit out at the West for "politicising" the games as many countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, and others refused to send officials to Beijing.
Several Western countries have boycotted the event in protest against alleged human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang region. However, their athletes are participating in the games.
Last November, the Indian government extended its support to China to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, despite bilateral ties between two Asian countries hitting a new low over the 22-month-long military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
