UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared intention to attend the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
“The secretary-general received an invitation from the International Olympic Committee to attend the opening of the Beijing Winter Games, and he has accepted it,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.
The declaration came after the US announced a diplomatic boycott, and several other Western nations followed suit.
It citied China’s human rights abuses and ‘ongoing genocide‘ of the Uyghur population.
The Biden administration said it will not send an official US delegation.
It will however support Team USA, so they don’t prevent athletes from competing.
Washington wants to send a message of disapproval over the genocide in Xinjiang.
There have been reports of torture, forced sterilisation, and sexual violence against the minority community.
Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada will also join the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the leaders of the three countries said Wednesday.
The move nonetheless infuriated Beijing, which hinted at retaliation on Thursday.
China has said Australia, Britain and the US will “pay the price” for boycotting February’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“The United States, Britain and Australia have used the Olympics platform for political manipulation,” Beijing further added.
