Xi’s Olympic guest list heavy on strongmen and autocrats

Of the just over 20 presidents, prime ministers, heads of state and royalty set to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday, around half of those dignitaries hail from authoritarian countries with several others listed as “hybrid regimes,” as classified by The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Putin — who is scheduled to meet Xi on Friday — released a letter in China’s state media on Thursday, praising the “new era” of relations between China and Russia. He also pointed to the growing economic and energy ties between the neighboring countries and cited plans to discuss key issues on “regional and global agendas” with the Chinese leader. Xi is also expected to host bilateral meetings and a banquet for attending dignitaries — including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, according to Beijing. Controversy surrounding the Games has been building in recent months, as governments and rights groups point to alleged human rights abuses by China of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang — which Washington alleges to be The New York-based organization has also warned athletes traveling to the Games about speaking out on human rights issues while in China, over concerns they will run afoul of Chinese regulations. Beijing has pushed back strongly on what it views as a “politicization” of the Olympics, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi saying late last year that diplomatic boycotts would not impact the Games.The “political maneuvering of a few Western politicians will do no harm to a splendid Olympic Games, but only expose their ugly intention,” he said.The International Olympic Committee hails the Games as an outlet for “peaceful competition” among nations. Apart from athletic competition, the Games have long been a vehicle for world leaders to meet informally, and as an opportunity either to rub shoulders while cheering their teams or for calculated snubs. In 2018, then-US Vice President Mike Pence said he actively chose to ignore North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong at the Opening Ceremony for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea, at the time citing her position as “the sister of the dictator” and leader of North Korea’s propaganda effort. This year’s Olympics is set to be even more restrained, as stringent Covid-19 protocols have discouraged those in the stands from cheering. Tokyo’s Summer Olympics, held last year, also saw diminished attendance of world leaders, due largely to the Covid-19 pandemic.