Winter Olympic in China Draws Flak Over Torchbearer

The United States and India are both up and arms against China again for using a soldier as a torchbearer. The same soldier was involved in the Galwan clashes. In another incident, the young youth who had by accident ventured into Chinese territory near the border from Arunachal Pradesh has reported back saying he was physically and mentally tortured before being let off.

China has the strangest ways of claiming control over its sovereignty, without respecting the sense of civil or human rights at any stage of their governance. The selection of the soldier Qi Fabao who was hurt while India retaliated to Chinese attempts to incursion in June 2020, has been seen as simply ‘disrespectful and provocative’ to the Indian government.

Speaking over to support India, the US state department spokesperson Ned Price said, “We have previously voiced our concerns of Beijing’s pattern of ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbours. As we always do, we stand with friends, we stand with partners and allies, to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific.” He was addressing media queries at the White House briefing room. Further, he added that, “When it comes to the broader issue of India-China border situation, we continue to support direct dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the border disputes.”

Voicing India’s concerns was also the Republican lawmaker from Florida, Marco Rubio said that indeed China’s approval to encourage Fabao as a torchbearer was to provoke India. “Another outrageous example of the CCP’s flagrant politicization of Beijing 2022. Their decision to choose a soldier who participated in a 2020 ambush against Indian troops as a torchbearer is appalling and deliberately provocative.”

The US has recently passed a law against the harassment and maltreatment of Uighur Muslims at the hands of the Chinese government. They continue to speak up and show in action non-tolerance to Chinese disregard for the human rights of minority communities living in China. It is worth noting, that India has been transparent over the release of identities and figures of soldiers who were killed and injured in the Galway clashes. However, China has been tightlipped about the same. China only recently chose to use the incident as a means of spreading anti-India propaganda. Last year, China said that it will sell stones from Galwan Valley to its citizens as patriotic memorabilia.