UN Chief To Attend Beijing Winter Olympics

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, his spokesman said on Thursday, after the United States announced a diplomatic boycott and several other Western nations followed suit.

"The secretary-general received an invitation from the International Olympic Committee to attend the opening of the Beijing Winter Games and he has accepted it," spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

The White House said on Monday that US officials would stay away from the games. Beijing has slammed the move, with the Foreign Ministry saying it would only lead to a loss of America's “moral authority and credibility”.

China also accused Australia of "political posturing" after Canberra announced a diplomatic boycott of the games, and urged the UK government to uphold the Olympic spirit and stop political manipulation, after it announced ministers and officials would not attend the event.