Sino-US rivalry puts Moon's peace initiative at risk
South Korea is facing a dilemma amid the intensifying confrontation between the United States and China over the upcoming Winter Olympics. The U.S. has decided not to send any government officials and dignitaries to the Games in Beijing slated to kick off Feb. 4. Announcing what is called a diplomatic boycott, White House press secretary Jen Psaki cited China's "egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang."
"U.S. athletes will continue to compete and will have our full support. But, we will not be contributing to the fanfare of the games. We have a fundamental commitment to promoting human rights and will take actions to advance human rights in China and beyond," Psaki said during a news briefing at White House, Monday. China has vowed to take firm countermeasures against the U.S. decision. "China deplores and firmly opposes the remarks of the U.S. side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Tuesday.
This shows the fierce conflicts between two powers in diverse areas such as trade, security, technology and diplomacy will affect the crucial Olympic Games. For South Korea, which has long been sandwiched between the two gigantic nations, the boycott is posing another diplomatic challenge. China is eager to successfully host the Beijing Winter Olympics to highlight its economic development and technological prowess and help President Xi Jinping solidify his grip on power.
The United States is seeking to muster support from its allies and partners to contain China. President Joe Biden is set to host the "Summit for Democracy," Thursday, for a two-day run as a virtual gathering of leaders from 110 countries around the world, in an apparent to bid to pressure them to follow its lead in boycotting the Olympics.
The boycott move has virtually foiled the Moon Jae-in administration's bid to push for a meeting of leaders of the U.S., China and the two Koreas in Beijing during the Olympic period to formally declare an end to the 1950-53 Korea War. For now, Moon seems to stand little or no chance of utilizing the Olympic event to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Due to the Sino-American conflict over the Olympics, Moon is likely to suffer a setback in his Korean Peninsula peace initiative, including an end-of-war declaration.
The government should make a wise and balanced decision on the Olympics issue based on the principle of promoting mutual benefits and protecting our national interest to the full. It needs to consider the fact that China dispatched a high-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party as a special envoy of President Xi during the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Seoul has maintained a cautious approach to dealing with the great power competition. Yet it finds it ever more difficult to continue its balancing act between the U.S., its security ally, and China, its largest trading partner. Such an act seems to be no longer tenable down the road. The Beijing Winter Olympics will put the Moon administration to the test. It remains to be seen what decision President Moon will make over the boycott issue and whether he can proceed with his ambitious peace process for the peninsula before his term ends next May.
South Korea is facing a dilemma amid the intensifying confrontation between the United States and China over the upcoming Winter Olympics. The U.S. has decided not to send any government officials and dignitaries to the Games in Beijing slated to kick off Feb. 4. Announcing what is called a diplomatic boycott, White House press secretary Jen Psaki cited China's "egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang."
"U.S. athletes will continue to compete and will have our full support. But, we will not be contributing to the fanfare of the games. We have a fundamental commitment to promoting human rights and will take actions to advance human rights in China and beyond," Psaki said during a news briefing at White House, Monday. China has vowed to take firm countermeasures against the U.S. decision. "China deplores and firmly opposes the remarks of the U.S. side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Tuesday.
This shows the fierce conflicts between two powers in diverse areas such as trade, security, technology and diplomacy will affect the crucial Olympic Games. For South Korea, which has long been sandwiched between the two gigantic nations, the boycott is posing another diplomatic challenge. China is eager to successfully host the Beijing Winter Olympics to highlight its economic development and technological prowess and help President Xi Jinping solidify his grip on power.
The United States is seeking to muster support from its allies and partners to contain China. President Joe Biden is set to host the "Summit for Democracy," Thursday, for a two-day run as a virtual gathering of leaders from 110 countries around the world, in an apparent to bid to pressure them to follow its lead in boycotting the Olympics.
The boycott move has virtually foiled the Moon Jae-in administration's bid to push for a meeting of leaders of the U.S., China and the two Koreas in Beijing during the Olympic period to formally declare an end to the 1950-53 Korea War. For now, Moon seems to stand little or no chance of utilizing the Olympic event to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Due to the Sino-American conflict over the Olympics, Moon is likely to suffer a setback in his Korean Peninsula peace initiative, including an end-of-war declaration.
The government should make a wise and balanced decision on the Olympics issue based on the principle of promoting mutual benefits and protecting our national interest to the full. It needs to consider the fact that China dispatched a high-ranking official of the Chinese Communist Party as a special envoy of President Xi during the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Seoul has maintained a cautious approach to dealing with the great power competition. Yet it finds it ever more difficult to continue its balancing act between the U.S., its security ally, and China, its largest trading partner. Such an act seems to be no longer tenable down the road. The Beijing Winter Olympics will put the Moon administration to the test. It remains to be seen what decision President Moon will make over the boycott issue and whether he can proceed with his ambitious peace process for the peninsula before his term ends next May.
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