Nations opting diplomatic boycott of Winter Olympics will pay the price: China

New Delhi : China on Thursday warned that the four Western nations which have launched a joint diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing will regret their decision.

"The US, Australia, Britain and Canada's use of the Olympic platform for political manipulation is unpopular and self-isolating, and they will inevitably pay the price for their wrongdoing," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

Canada will join the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on December 8.

The announcement came after the White House, the Australian Government and the U.K. government confirmed diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Games in February to protest Chinese human rights abuses. China has vowed to react with “firm countermeasures”. Mr. Trudeau said his Government has been talks with allies about it in recent months.

“We are extremely concerned by the repeated human rights violations by the Chinese Government,” Mr. Trudeau said.

“They should not be surprised we will not be sending any diplomatic representation.”