"Turning a Blind Eye to Xinjiang Uyghur Human Rights Abuses" Strong Criticism
Coca-Cola Responds, "We Support Athletes Wherever the Event Is Held"
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Congress summoned sponsors of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in the United States, including Coca-Cola, Visa, and Airbnb, to a hearing, strongly criticizing them for turning a blind eye to China's human rights abuses, such as the situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Amid worsening U.S.-China relations, the possibility of a U.S. boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics is also being raised.
According to foreign media including CNN on the 27th (local time), the U.S. Congress held a hearing of the 'Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)' and summoned sponsors of the Beijing Winter Olympics in the U.S. At the hearing, lawmakers unanimously criticized the official Olympic sponsors for being blinded by profit and ignoring China's human rights abuses, such as the situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The official sponsors of the Beijing Winter Olympics among U.S. companies are five in total: Coca-Cola, Visa, Airbnb, Intel, and Procter & Gamble.
Republican Congressman Chris Smith said, "We need to resolve the contradiction between the superficial reason that the Olympic sponsorship contributes to human rights and the fact that it actually supports a country committing human rights abuses." He also asked each sponsor for their views on the argument that the Winter Olympics should be postponed or the host city changed until human rights issues are resolved.
Democratic Congressman Tom Malinowski also criticized Airbnb, saying, "Airbnb does not actively criticize the Chinese government's policy that prohibits free travel of Uyghurs and Tibetans." Regarding Coca-Cola, he pointed out, "While they actively voice opinions on U.S. political issues such as voting rights, they remain silent only toward China." He added, "You fear them in exactly the same way you do not fear criticism in the U.S. This is shameful," arguing that "they refuse to criticize the Chinese government out of concern for repercussions in China."
In response to these harsh criticisms, the sponsors strongly rebutted. Paul Rolly, Vice President of Coca-Cola, who appeared at the hearing, said, "The Olympic host city is not our decision," and "We support athletes wherever they compete." Other companies also expressed opposition, stating that the criticism from Congress was unfair.
Regarding the U.S. government’s announcement that China has committed ethnic cleansing against Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, only Steve Rogers, Vice President of Intel, said he believed it. He stated, "I have read the State Department report and believe its conclusions," while representatives of the other four companies repeatedly gave only general responses. Republican Senator Tom Cotton criticized this response, saying, "It seems the attendees were ordered not to make any statements attacking the Chinese Communist Party," calling it "pitiful and shameful."
Meanwhile, in U.S. political circles, as the dispute between the U.S. and China intensifies, movements are gaining momentum to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics or to boycott the event altogether.
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