No Rights! No Games! Taiwan Civil Society Groups Hold "Boycott Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics-2021 Global Day of Action" Press Conference

On June 23, International Olympic Day, 25 countries and more than 50 cities worldwide held a "Global Day of Action," calling on the International Olympic Committee and governments around the world under the slogan "No Rights! No Games!" to oppose the Chinese government's hosting of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in light of its human-rights record. In Taiwan, 16 civil society organizations joined the global campaign and held an online press conference to state their demands: the Chinese Communist Party regime has continued to intensify human-rights violations against people in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet, while never renouncing the use of force against Taiwan. The organizations argued that this runs counter to the Olympic ideals of peace, friendship, and solidarity and disqualifies Beijing from hosting the Games.

The press conference was hosted by Lin Hsin-I, a board member of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan and Executive Director of the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty. At the outset, she led participants in chanting: "Boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics! No Rights! No Games!"
 
In Hong Kong, the CCP regime has fully implemented the draconian National Security Law, carrying out mass arrests and detentions of protesters and arresting senior staff of Apple Daily, thereby suppressing democracy, freedom, and human rights in Hong Kong; "One Country, Two Systems," the statement argues, no longer exists.
 
In East Turkistan (Xinjiang), the CCP regime has implemented extensive surveillance, detained more than one million Uyghurs in internment camps, and subjected them to forced labor. The U.S. State Department under both the Trump and Biden administrations, as well as the parliaments of Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic, have characterized the persecution of Uyghurs as genocide. The statement compares these abuses to the crimes of Nazi Germany and describes them as one of the gravest human-rights disasters of this century.

In Tibet, the CCP regime has maintained high-pressure rule and online surveillance for more than 70 years, restricting Tibetans' freedom of religion, implementing the so-called "Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism," and subjecting Tibetans who do not conform to official ideology to enforced disappearance, arrest, and imprisonment. The statement further asserts that more than one million Tibetans have died since the Tibetan uprisings beginning in 1959.
 
The CCP regime's military threats against democratic Taiwan continue to intensify. It constricts Taiwan's international political and economic space and seeks to undermine Taiwan's democratic and free system. Even when Taiwan suffered a major railway disaster with heavy casualties and later urgently needed vaccines as the pandemic worsened, Chinese military aircraft continued to cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait and warships continued operations harassing Taiwan. If such conduct continues, the statement asks, how can Taiwan participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics under this kind of military coercion?

The statement condemns the CCP regime for suppressing political dissidents in China, curtailing freedom of speech, trampling on human rights, and violating international human-rights conventions, as well as for its persecution of religious freedom. It further accuses the regime of exporting and expanding anti-democratic and anti-human-rights ideology abroad and using stolen technology to interfere with the democratic development of the international community.
 
The governance of the CCP regime has taken on the characteristics of a fascist regime, running completely counter to the basic principles of 'diversity, equality, and rule-following' advocated by the Olympic Games. Remaining silent on Beijing hosting the 24th Winter Olympic Games in 2022 would mean condoning their further disruption of the international community's democratic development path, while also further worsening China's human rights situation.

On this International Olympic Day, 16 Taiwanese civil society organizations echoed the global day of action by jointly holding a press conference and calling on the Taiwanese government to stand with the world: while actively helping Taiwanese athletes step onto the international stage, it must not turn a blind eye to the reality of China's human rights abuses.

The joint demands of the 16 organizations include:

1. The International Olympic Committee should uphold the Olympic spirit and promptly relocate the 2022 Winter Olympics from Beijing to another country in order to protect athletes' right to participate.
2. Taiwan's Legislative Yuan should promptly adopt a resolution boycotting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and join the 11 national parliaments that have already taken a position. The Taiwanese government should also express support for the boycott.
3. The Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee should be renamed the "Taiwan Olympic Committee" and stop diminishing Taiwan's status. If the Winter Olympics are still held in Beijing, Taiwan should not send a delegation to participate.
4. Corporations should not sponsor the Beijing Winter Olympics, and global consumers should boycott brands that support tyranny.

The 16 organizations participating in the press conference also expressed their respective views:

■ Shih Yi-Hsiang, Secretary-General of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights

When a totalitarian government widely considered to be the greatest contemporary threat to human rights manages to secure the hosting rights for the Olympics, this is nothing short of a massive insult to humanity's most important sports event. Following the Canadian parliament passing a motion with an overwhelming vote of 226 to 0 to demand the government boycott participation in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics due to China's genocide against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, an increasing number of national parliaments have followed suit. As of June 9, 11 countries-including the parliaments of 10 nations (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and Lithuania) as well as the European Parliament-have joined the ranks of the boycott. Civil society in Taiwan is currently working hard in hopes that Taiwan's Legislative Yuan can pass a resolution to join the international anti-CCP front boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Full text)

■ Prof. Tseng Chien-Yuan, Chair of the New School for Democracy

As a member of Taiwanese and Hong Kong civil society organizations concerned with the integrated development of Chinese democracy, facing the CCP's one-party dictatorship and tightening social control, the crushing of Hong Kong's dual universal suffrage movement, and the relentless suppression and bullying of the Republic of China (Taiwan) by the People's Republic of China in the international community and cross-strait relations, it is emotionally difficult for us to share in the glory of the PRC hosting the Beijing Winter Olympics. (Full text)

■ Tashi Tsering, President of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, who was detained for 23 days in Nagano, Japan, for protesting the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

From 2008 to 2022, the CCP regime has only grown worse. Not only Tibetans, but they bully Uyghurs and Hongkongers, and treat their own people even worse. Last year's COVID-19 outbreak harmed the entire world. The CCP has become worse, but we have become more united. Today, 16 organizations in Taiwan stand together, and over 50 cities worldwide are holding actions to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics. We will not give up; I, Tashi Tsering, will not give up, all the way until the day Tibet is free and the CCP regime comes to an end! Free Tibet! No Rights No Games! (Full text)

■ Ho Chao-Tung, Attorney and Chair of the Taiwan Association for East Turkistan

China has transitioned from setting up 're-education camps' in Xinjiang (East Turkistan) to detain Uyghurs and other Muslims, to monitoring local residents and turning the entire region into an open-air prison. Taiwan constantly faces military threats and intimidation from China, with military aircraft and warships conducting nearly incessant encircling provocations. At a time when the international community is increasingly concerned about security in the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan should stand on the same side as democracy, human rights, and justice, and call on the IOC to hold the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics elsewhere to uphold human rights and speak up for the countries and ethnic groups oppressed by China. (Full text)

■ Li Chi, Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Outlanders

Since 2018, the CCP and the Hong Kong government have continued to pressure Taiwan government personnel stationed in Hong Kong to sign a 'One-China Pledge' as a political prerequisite for the renewal of expatriate staff visas. They have also continued political frame-ups, accusing the Taiwan government's support for the Hong Kong democracy movement as meddling in Hong Kong affairs and plotting Hong Kong independence. We feel profound regret. Many Hongkongers chose to come to Taiwan precisely because they yearn for Taiwan's bravery and brightness as the democratic lighthouse of Asia, and its resolute determination to resist China's long-term suppression alongside Taiwan. The words, deeds, and policies of the Chinese government seriously violate the Olympic spirit. Until China halts its genocide and human rights atrocities, Beijing, China, is absolutely not a suitable city to host the Winter Olympics; otherwise, it will severely conflict with the Olympic spirit and brutally depart from the universal values of upholding human rights and freedom. (Full text)

■ Li Peng-Hsuan, East Asia Campaigner, International Tibet Network

The 2008 Beijing Olympics became an eternal traumatic memory for the Tibetan people. Faced with this lying, deceitful, and brutal Chinese government, we saw that just 8 years later in 2015, Beijing once again won the hosting rights for the Olympics-something unimaginable to anyone with normal judgment and logic. With half a year remaining until next February, we hope everyone will stand with us to demand our country make the right choice: boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics; no human rights, no Olympic Games! (Full text)

■ Tseng Tsung-Kai, Standing Director, Taiwan United Nations Alliance

We are unwilling to see yet another Nazi fascist regime spread totalitarianism through the Olympics. Therefore, we should boycott Beijing's hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Further appeasement means condoning their further destruction of the international community's democratic development path, while also further worsening China's human rights situation. (Full text)

■ Rev. Huang Chun-Sheng, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan

Ever since taking power in 1949, the CCP has consistently persecuted religious beliefs, arbitrarily arrested and massacred Christians, expelled and harmed missionaries in China, confiscated and destroyed countless Bibles, sealed and demolished churches, and banned all house churches. To assert the CCP's supremacy over all religions, the CCP launched the 'Zero-Out Campaign'-namely, 'de-scaling, de-organizing, and de-churching.' The CCP is also vigorously pushing 'Christianity with Chinese characteristics,' forcing clergy to make socialist core values an important content of their sermons, thereby absolutizing the 'Communist Party' and integrating it into collective religious activities and daily life. Our church also echoes the proposal of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, calling for no officials to be sent to attend the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. (Full text)

■ Li Yu, Researcher at the Asia Public Culture Association (APCA)

Countries that wish to host the Olympics must also embrace the spirit of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity, and fair play. Countries hosting the Olympics must positively acknowledge the importance of civil society, and practically amend and enact laws to guarantee the development of civil society and the rights of activists to exercise basic human rights. Only then will they conform to the spirit of the Olympics. (Full text)

■ Yang Kang, Researcher at the Covenants Watch

In addition to calling on the International Olympic Committee and governments worldwide to oppose the Chinese government hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, we must once again urge the Taiwanese government to implement relevant work under the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, ensuring that Taiwanese businesses investing in China do not participate in or condone the forced labor and genocide promoted by China in Xinjiang/East Turkistan. We also call on the Taiwanese government to promptly pass an accountability mechanism similar to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to sanction human rights-violating CCP officials, while also raising agendas on business and human rights and human rights accountability through various channels such as APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). (Full text)

■ Wang Lung-Kuan, Convener, International Cooperation Committee, Judicial Reform Foundation

In 1980, the United States led other countries in boycotting the Moscow Olympics in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and China also joined the boycott at the time, so a boycott should not come as a surprise to China now. The key question is what means should be used to achieve what goals. From a legal perspective, whether one looks at Li Ming-Che's imprisonment for criticizing the Chinese government online or the National Security Law enacted in Hong Kong last year, Taiwanese people can increasingly recognize one point: you are not safe in China. We call on our government, regardless of whether it ultimately sends a delegation, to raise this issue within the IOC system and work with like-minded countries to require China at a minimum to guarantee the personal safety and freedom of speech of participating athletes. (Full text)

■ English, Executive Committee Member of Hong Kong Outlanders

To this day, the International Olympic Committee still dares not face its own erroneous decision head-on, and even turns a blind eye to voices from around the world opposing China as the host. We hereby make two demands to China: 1) Immediately cease the persecution of all Uyghurs, Tibetans, Inner Mongolians, Hongkongers, and Taiwanese, and stop all actions violating universal human rights values; 2) Immediately cease military threats and political suppression against Taiwan. We will steadfastly persist in our struggle, showing the world the various atrocious deeds committed by this totalitarian regime. (Full text)

■ Huang Di-Ying, Attorney and Chair of Taiwan Forever

Taiwan is actually deeply affected by China's authoritarianism and despotism, and the impact is profound. Especially recently, as Taiwan's COVID-19 epidemic is severe, CCP military aircraft continue to harass Taiwan's airspace. Beyond that, Taiwan's acquisition of vaccines internationally has also been obstructed by the CCP. Viewed from normal human nature and the universal values of human rights, democracy, and freedom-from Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet, to Taiwan recently being profoundly impacted by CCP authoritarianism during the COVID-19 pandemic-the Taiwanese people must stand up and stand with the civilized nations of the world to boycott the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. I believe that as human beings, based on the universal values of civilization and democracy, this is a necessary action to take. (Full text)

■ Lin Yi-Cheng, Executive Director, Taiwan Constitution Foundation

Saying NO to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is the most basic attitude required to embody the Olympic spirit. The Olympic spirit is meant to give all human beings-regardless of ethnicity, belief, or culture-the opportunity to fairly participate in sports competitions. In contrast, the Beijing regime's near-genocidal practices against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, its destruction of Hong Kong's original democracy and rule of law, and its daily acts of threatening aggression against Taiwan all repeatedly violate the due spirit of the Olympics. (Full text)

■ Lo Li-Han, Advocacy Officer, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty

The latest 2021 report shows that China remains unwilling to disclose data on its use of the death penalty. China is believed to execute thousands of people each year, making it the country with the highest number of executions in the world. Domestically, China uses the death penalty extensively and without meaningful limitation as a means of controlling its population. An annual total in the thousands is many times higher than the combined number of executions reported in all other countries. The statement argues that this repeatedly demonstrates the CCP government's contempt for human-rights values. We also hope that more countries and corporate Olympic sponsors will reconsider their positions, boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, support the true Olympic spirit, and stand with human-rights values. (Full text)

Many civil society organizations-including the Taiwan Association for China Human Rights, Taiwan Civil Support Association for Hong Kong, Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, Taiwan Association for East Turkistan, New School for Democracy, China Aid Association, Taiwan Association for Human Rights, and Presbyterian Church in Taiwan-also hope that Taiwan's Legislative Yuan will adopt a resolution, as the parliaments of 11 other countries have done, calling on the Executive Yuan to assess the situation carefully, take note of the global movement to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, and respond appropriately at the proper time.

The "#NoBeijing2022" campaign is a transnational, cross-movement initiative launched by the International Tibet Network. It began on February 4 of this year and is scheduled to continue until the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics on February 4, 2022 (if the Games are still held). Since February 4, the campaign has sent open letters opposing the Beijing Winter Olympics to the International Olympic Committee, Airbnb (a Beijing Winter Olympics sponsor), and Mars, Incorporated (the parent company of Snickers, also a sponsor), and has continued petition campaigns. During IOC meetings it also held a parallel forum highlighting Tibetan, Uyghur, Mongolian, Hongkonger, and Chinese voices absent from IOC discussions. Its main websites, NoBeijing2022.org and https://boycottbeijing2022.net, collect information and actions related to the campaign, including open letters, statements, petitions, forum recordings, and participating organizations from various countries.

List of participating organizations in Taiwan: Taiwan Association for Human Rights, New School for Democracy, Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, Taiwan Association for East Turkistan, Taiwan Hong Kong Association, International Tibet Network, Taiwan United Nations Alliance, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Asia Public Culture Association, Covenants Watch, Judicial Reform Foundation, Hong Kong Outlanders, Taiwan Forever Association, Taiwan Constitution Foundation, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, Taiwan Association for China Human Rights