News and Views on Tibet

US Speaker testifies against China on Beijing Olympics

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The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (Photo/STAT News)

By Choekyi Lhamo

DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 7: The Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi on Thursday testified before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) on the ongoing Beijing Olympics and criticized the host for its human rights abuses in Tibet, East Turkestan, Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong, among others. The United States was the first country to announce diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, followed by countries like the UK, Canada, India and Australia among others.

Long time Tibet supporter Pelosi declared that it was the urgent moral duty to highlight the violations committed by the Chinese government ahead of the opening ceremony of the Games but also cautioned the country’s athletes to refrain from running the risk of angering China. Activists in the US also apprised competing athletes of the situation about the circumstances in these occupied regions, and urged them to be wary of the host country’s stance on dissent.

 “While we fully support and root for our athletes, we cannot and will not be silent on human rights in China. Many in Congress have fought to ensure that the world remembers the truth of the PRC’s human rights record and to hold them accountable including by seeking to deny them the honour of hosting the Olympics,” said Speaker Pelosi, adding that the IOC aided by corporate sponsors turned a blind eye to the actions of the host country.

“If we do not speak out against the human rights violations in China because of commercial interest we lose all moral authority to speak out against human rights violations anywhere,” she further remarked. The Speaker assured that the US Congress affirms to take bold actions against China to defend those under its regime.

The US has now prepared to advocate another act aimed at increasing US’ ‘competitiveness’ with China; The ‘America COMPETES Act of 2022’ proposes to reinvigorate the innovation engine of the country’s economy to “outcompete China by providing new vistas for talented individuals from across the world”. The Speaker concluded, “To all those suffering under the regime of PRC, America sees you, America stands with you, America will continue to fight for you.” Nancy Pelosi was the first leader to urge the Congress to hold the controversial diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics in one of the congressional hearings held in May 2021.  

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