Topline
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Mohammed Bin Salman and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among the world leaders who are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which will take place amid a diplomatic boycott of the event by the U.S. and its allies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose during their meeting in … [+]
Key Facts
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Chinese capital Friday, signaling the growing ties between Moscow and Beijing that have strengthened amid growing tensions with the U.S.
Putin—whose visit comes amid a Russian military buildup on its border with Ukraine—met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing and praised the “unprecedented” close relations between the two countries.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—whose country is the largest supplier of oil to China—will also be present at the event as part of an effort to develop “Sino-Saudi comprehensive strategic relations.”
Despite a purported private appeal by the U.S. to boycott the event, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will be in attendance.
Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan—a close ally of China—will also be in attendance after dismissing western criticism of China’s alleged mistreatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang.
Several other leaders from the Middle East, Central Asia and Latin American nations will attend but no representatives from major U.S.-aligned democracies are expected to be present.
Tangent
China’s neighbor and regional rival India announced Thursday it would not be sending any officials to the opening ceremony. While New Delhi had not previously joined the boycott effort by western democracies, China’s decision to feature a military commander—who was involved in deadly clashes with Indian troops in 2020—as an Olympic torch bearer, sparked outrage in the country.
Big Number
308. That’s the total number of Covid-19 cases that have been detected among the games’ participants and staffers since January 23. This includes 21 new cases on Friday. The fear of a larger outbreak across the country means that the opening ceremony and the sporting events will not be open to members of the public.
Further Reading
A familiar face will again direct the opening ceremony in Beijing (New York Times)
China’s Olympics Guest List Highlights Tensions With West (Wall Street Journal)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/02/04/putin-and-mohammed-bin-salman-among-key-foreign-attendees-at-beijing-2022-opening-ceremony-amid-western-boycott/