State Department denies considering boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022
After previously indicating that the US was discussing a boycott with allies, the State Department says no such talks are under way.
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The games are set to begin next February.
The US is not considering a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which are set to begin in February, the US State Department says.
"Our position on the 2022 Olympics has not changed," a senior State Department official told CNET. "We have not discussed and are not discussing any joint boycott with allies and partners."
The clarification comes after State Department spokesperson Ned Price seemed to indicate at a Tuesday press briefing that discussions were under way between the Biden administration, which is looking to curb Chinese military expansion and human rights abuses, and allies regarding a potential boycott.
"We're talking about 2022, and we're still in April of 2021, so these games remain some time away," Price said during the briefing. "I wouldn't want to put a time frame on it, but these discussions are under way."
Price reiterated that sentiment in a tweet posted from the State Department spokesperson's official Twitter account Tuesday evening.
"As I said, we don't have any announcement regarding the Beijing Olympics," Price tweeted. "2022 remains a ways off, but we will continue to consult closely with allies and partners to define our common concerns and establish our shared approach to the PRC."