German chancellor Olaf Scholz won’t go to Winter Olympics in Beijing
- The leader had kept mum on his intentions for weeks, even as other Western countries joined a US-led diplomatic boycott over human rights concerns
- German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser earlier said they won’t go to Beijing, but described it as personal decision
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he has no intention to travel to Beijing for the Winter Olympics, ending speculation about his plans two days before the Games start.
“I have no travel plans. You can’t assume that I’ll suddenly show up and say: ‘Hello, here I am,’” Scholz said in an interview on broadcaster ZDF late on Wednesday.
Scholz had left questions about visiting the Olympics unanswered for weeks, even as other Western countries joined a US-led diplomatic boycott of the competition in regards to human rights concerns.
Earlier, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said he was not able to say whether any official representative of the German government would attend the opening ceremony on Friday.
There has been a flurry of diplomatic boycotts against the Beijing Games since the United States announced in December that its officials were staying away, even though its athletes are attending.
