Beijing, 31 January 2022 (TDI): Beijing is all set to host the 2022 Winter Olympics amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and the US-led diplomatic boycott of the sports event.
The dual Olympic city is geared up in anticipation of the Spring festival, the Lunar New Year as well as the upcoming Winter Olympics Games. According to Hua Chunying, the Spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry a number of dignitaries will be gracing the occasion.
Even though the sports event has been a target of a US-led diplomatic boycott, a lot of leaders will be attending the opening ceremony of the Games. Amongst these are the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin who was the first leader to announce his participation.
In addition, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan will also attend the opening ceremony. Other regional leaders include the Prime Minister of Mongolia, Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, and South Korean National Assembly Speaker, Park Byeong-Seug.
Aside from the aforementioned leaders, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Ali Javad oglu Ahmadov, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Chairman of the Council of Ministers Zoran Tegeltia, and Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni will be attending the event.
Moreover, Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, Luxembourg’s Grand Duke Henri, Monaco’s Prince Albert II, and Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape will be in attendance.
Likewise, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Serbia’s President Aleksander Vucic, Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, and Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon will grace the occasion.
Also, Thailand’s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, UAE’s Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, and Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will be in attendance.
International Olympic Committee’s President Thomas Bach, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will be representing the international organizations.
However, the President of the UN’s General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid will take part in the Winter Olympics torch relay.
The countries that have decided to diplomatically boycott the sports event citing China’s human rights record are the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Denmark. Other countries like Japan are also not sending officials but haven’t announced the decision formally.
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