Stubborn China refuses to apologise for PLA torchbearer provocation
Beijing said that the matter need not be seen from a political perspective.
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FollowChina has finally broken its silence over the controversy that prompted India to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and earned it global condemnation for politicising the mega sports event. Beijing on Monday tried to downplay criticism for choosing the People's Liberation Army officer who was part of the Galwan Valley clash with the Indian Army in June 2020 as a torchbearer in the Winter Olympics. Beijing said that the matter need not be seen from a political perspective.
In reply to a query, China foreign ministry spokesperson said, "What I want to say is we hope that the relevant sides can view the choice of torchbearers in a rational and objective light. And do not read too much into it from a political perspective."
At a diplomatic level, several countries, including the United States, India, the United Kingdom among others had boycotted the games.
Also Read: China makes PLA commander thrashed during Galwan Valley clash a torchbearer for 2022
"We hope that the relevant sides can view this in a rational and objective light," the Chinese MFA spokesperson added.
He further said, "I want to stress that the torch bearers of the Beijing Winter Olympic games are broadly representative, and they meet relevant standards."
Senior lawmakers in the United States had praised India for taking a bold and strong step by boycotting the Games. India's move had come hours after Beijing announced its PLA regiment commander, Lt Col Qi Fabao as the torchbearer for the Winter Olympics Torch Relay. The PLA officer had recently recovered from a comatose state after sustaining head injuries during the Galwan Valley clash with Indian troops in 2020.
Informing about New Delhi’s decision to diplomatically boycott the Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that it was indeed 'regrettable' that the Chinese side had chosen to politicise an event like the Olympics.
Also Read: New details on Galwan Valley clash of 2020 exposes extent of Chinese coverup
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