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US companies deflect tough questions over Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
- Executives with Coca-Cola, Airbnb, Intel, Procter & Gamble and Visa decline to commit to US lawmaker calls to condemn Beijing’s actions
- Human rights concerns and calls to boycott the Winter Games grow in Europe
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US multinational sponsors of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics deflected tough questions by lawmakers on Tuesday over alleged Chinese human rights violations, saying their primary focus was on the athletes and breaking down global barriers.
Under persistent questioning by members of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China, executives with Coca-Cola, Airbnb, Intel, Procter & Gamble and Visa declined to commit to lawmaker calls to condemn Beijing’s actions in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet; say whether they would support a change in venue for the Winter Games; or indicate whether they were worried about Chinese retribution for speaking out.
“We’re deeply concerned when we hear about human rights violations in any jurisdiction in which we do business,” said Steven Rodgers, executive vice-president and general counsel at Intel, without referencing China or the Communist Party of China (CCP).
“Our sponsorship of the Olympics is not an endorsement of any specific host country nor an acceptance of every activity that may occur within any specific country.”
As the two-hour hearing wore on, lawmakers expressed their growing frustration at corporate willingness to turn a blind eye to what some have termed “genocide” involving Uygurs in Xinjiang. This comes as human rights concerns and calls to boycott the Winter Games grow in Europe as well.
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Pelosi calls for US diplomatic boycott of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights abuses
Pelosi calls for US diplomatic boycott of 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights abuses
“Every single one of you refused to say a single word by all appearances that will cost you one bit of market share inside of mainland China,” said Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas.
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