Feb. 4 (UPI) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took aim at China in front of a congressional commission Thursday, criticizing the Olympic host country for conducting decades of “gross human rights violations.”
She made the remarks while speaking to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on the eve of the Olympics Opening Ceremony.
“When the Winter Olympic Games begin tomorrow in Beijing, the Chinese once again will attempt to distract the world from a decades-long campaign of abuse and repression,” Pelosi said.
“But the United States and the international community know the truth, the People’s Republic of China is perpetrating a campaign of gross human rights violations, including genocide.”
She also cautioned American athletes not to anger the “ruthless” Chinese government while in Beijing.
“While we fully support, and will root for our athletes, we cannot and will not be silent on human rights in China,” Pelosi said.
“Over the next two weeks, it is our urgent moral duty to shine a bright light on the many human rights violations being perpetrated by the host nation.”
Pelosi accused China of genocide against the Muslim-minority Uyghur population.
A report issued in December by a British-based tribunal concluded China has committed genocide against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
“This is not about Chinese people. It’s about the People’s Republic of China and the repressive government that has been in power,” said Pelosi, who also touched on Chinese intimidation of Taiwan, a crackdown over basic freedoms in Hong Kong, and attacks on culture, religion and language in Tibet over what she called “decades of terror and repression.”
In December, President Joe Biden announced an American diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games.
