EU Votes in Favour of Boycotting Beijing Olympics 2022 over Hong Kong Human Rights Violations
- The European Union is said to have voted in favour of boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics happening in 2022
- The vote comes as an effort by the European Parliament to put pressure on China to stop human rights violations in Hong Kong
- The Chinese government has criticised the vote and said that it was a step back in the improving relationship between China and the European Union
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The European Parliament has taken a vote in an effort to call for officials from the bloc to not attend the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 on Thursday.
The boycott of the Olympics was called in an effort for China to improve on human rights in Hong Kong and for the Uyghur Muslim minority, according to EWN.
An overwhelming 578 votes were in favour of the non-binding resolution with 29 against the resolution and 73 73 abstentions.
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A number of European political parties, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel's EPP and France's Emmanuel Macron's centrists, approved of the resolution.
The resolution urges government officials and diplomats to turn down invitations to the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
"Unless the Chinese Government demonstrates a verifiable improvement in the human rights situation in Hong Kong, the Xinjiang Uyghur Region, Tibet, Inner Mongolia and elsewhere in China," read the resolution.
The resolution also criticised the shutdown of Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid and the arrests of its staff by Chinese authorities, according to Expatica.
It stated that these actions were China's effort to undermine Hong Kong's free society, freedom of the media and freedom of expression.
China's Commissioner's Office in Hong Kong criticised the vote, calling it a hurdle to mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the European Union., according to EWN.
Usain ‘Lightening’ Bolt comes out of retirement, gearing up for epic return race
In other Olympics news, Briefly News reported Usain Bolt is back on the track preparing for one of the most epic races since before his retirement from athletics in 2017.
Recently, the 100m and 200m Olympic record-holder resumed training to tackle uncharted territory in a distance not synonymous with his exploits: 800 meters, or what is known to others as a half-mile.
Ahead of the race against ... wait for it, CarMax, on 13 July, the eight-time Olympic gold medallist spoke excitedly about the challenge.
"They told me they're one of the fastest appraisals for car companies online now — in two minutes you can be approved. So I was like, 'Okay, cool.' And they're like, 'we'd like you to hit 800 meters.' I was like, 'Now that's interesting,'" Bolt told Insider.
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Source: Briefly News
