China says US diplomatic boycott violates Olympic spirit

BEIJING (AP) — China has accused the United States of violating the Olympic spirit after the Biden administration announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games over human rights concerns. Rights groups have pushed for a full-blown boycott of the Games, accusing China of rights abuses against ethnic minorities. The U.S. decision falls short of those calls but comes at an exceptionally turbulent time for relations between the powerhouse nations. It was met with a barrage of criticism from China on Tuesday. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the U.S. is attempting to interfere with the Beijing Games “out of ideological prejudice and based on lies and rumors.”