Chinese Ambassador to Japan Kong Xuanyou (孔鉉佑) yesterday said that the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics had been unfortunately “used as a political tool,” and asked for Japan’s support, while also warning Tokyo not to interfere on Taiwan.
Kong’s speech came as members of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party called for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Games in February.
The US and other nations have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics due to human rights abuses in Hong Kong and China’s Xinjiang region, but Japan has yet to make a decision.
Photo: Bloomberg
Kishida earlier yesterday said he has no plan to attend the Winter Olympics at the moment.
Kishida told a parliamentary committee, in response to a question from an opposition lawmaker, that Japan would make a decision on its official representation at an appropriate time, based on its national interests.
The choice has been particularly difficult for Tokyo, which relies on its sole military ally the US for security and lists China as its top trading partner.
“Unfortunately, there are people in Japan who have a biased view of China’s political system ... and are spreading rumors about human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong,” Kong said, adding that it appeared the Olympics were being used as a “political tool.”
“Given that China supported Tokyo hosting the Olympics, I think Japan should have good intentions toward our Games,” he said.
Kong was harsher when discussing tensions over Taiwan.
Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month said that Japan and the US could not stand by if China attacked Taiwan, and Beijing needed to understand that.
The comments sparked anger in Beijing, with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoning Japan’s ambassador in Beijing for an “emergency meeting.”
“Recently Japan has been making some negative moves regarding Taiwan, saying ‘a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency,’” Kong said.
“This is one-sided provocation and we cannot accept it,” he added.
Kong also criticized the “Summit for Democracy” hosted by US President Joe Biden last week, saying the event itself was “against democracy.”
“Judgement on any country’s democracy can only be made by the people of that country themselves,” he added.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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