ANALYSIS - US Olympic Boycott To Remain 'Just Symbolic' Unless More Nations Join

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2021) The US boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in China is so far only symbolic and will only have real significance if many other nations from around the world join in support, former diplomats told Sputnik.

The White House confirmed on Monday that the United States will engage in a diplomatic boycott of the event from February 4 to February 20, although US athletes will be allowed to participate.

The US said it boycotted the games in protest of China's policies on Hong Kong, Tibet and the Uighur population in Xinjiang. Beijing, however, has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights violations and warned the US not to meddle in China's internal affairs.

The US has hoped allies would quickly follow suit. However, on Tuesday, South Korea, one of the United States' two most important allies in Northeast Asia announced that it would not be joining the boycott.

"At this stage all this is just symbolic," former European Union (EU) and USAID consultant Professor Paolo von Schirach, President of the Global Policy Institute, said. "This US decision not to send Government representatives would have a major significance only if it were followed by similar diplomatic boycotts by many other governments, including America's key allies."

He also said the boycott to have real global resonance must signal a broad-based international condemnation of China's policies.

Former UK ambassador Peter Ford warned that the move could have incalculable consequences for the US standing in the world if it backfires. Ford, citing an ancient Chinese proverb, added: "Be careful what you wish for."

"US administration in its power-crazed hubris has overlooked this sound piece of Chinese traditional wisdom. Why? Because in wishing for and instigating what they no doubt hope will become a world-wide boycott, they have opened themselves up to massive embarrassment," Ford said.

Most countries, especially in the developing world, will very demonstrably side with China, Ford predicted.

"Unwittingly the Americans have handed the Chinese a gift they would never have dared reach for themselves: in the growing competition between the old superpower and the new one the prize is global influence, and we are now about to witness a demonstration of how the power balance has shifted," Ford said.

China's global economic influence was already massive and this would directly affect the diplomatic calculations of governments everywhere, Ford pointed out.

"Every African, Asian, South American and Pacific official delegation which attends, and there will be many, loath to upset the economic power which is China, will be a demonstration of American impotence," he said.

The US government would seek to twist arms to force governments to at least diplomatically boycott the Games, but raising the stakes in such a way will only make Washington's failures more glaring, Ford advised.

"Will China retaliate? It hardly needs to when its adversary has just shot itself in the foot," he said.

Former Canadian diplomat and global affairs analyst Patrick Armstrong said the blow to US international prestige of an unsuccessful boycott would be especially devastating since it followed so fast on the total collapse of the US-supported government in Afghanistan.

Instead, the Biden administration appeared determined to isolate the United States by seeking confrontation with Russia and China simultaneously while trying to force other nations around the world to support these reckless policies, the Canadian veteran diplomat observed.

"Full speed ahead in provoking Russia, China, Iran, sundry Latin American countries who don't vote as required, Ethiopia and so on: I guess it's all part of the End of the Imperium Americanum," Arm strong said.

Schirach said, in response, China may decide to do little or nothing in retaliation.

"Indeed, if, despite Biden's move, the rest of the world will send diplomats to Beijing, it is business as usual. The Chinese Communist Party wins the propaganda battle," he said.

Beijing might then claim the moral high ground, choosing to stay focused on the "Spirit of the Olympic Games," Schirach predicted.

"China's public relations goal will be accomplished with an absolutely perfect and flawless Games' organization that will dazzle global audiences. We know very well that the Chinese are very good at putting up elaborate big shows," he recalled.

The Chinese government had remained focused on its policy and diplomatic priorities in hosting the Games and going ahead with them and looked likely to achieve its intentions, Schirach assessed.

"In the end, the world will get the message of China's greatness. And this is the only goal that Beijing cares about. If this works out as Beijing intends, China will come out of this spat as the defender of the Olympics, while America will be labeled a lone spoiler, for good reasons ignored by all other countries," he said.