Scholars criticize U.S. so-called "diplomatic boycott" of Beijing Winter Olympics

SINGAPORE, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Scholars have recently criticized the so-called "diplomatic boycott" by the United States of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Zhu Feng, international relations expert at China's Nanjing University, told the Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao that the U.S. move will do damage to the political mutual trust between China and the United States.

Other Chinese scholars, according to Lianhe Zaobao, have also issued harshly-worded comments on the so-called "diplomatic boycott."

The United States should stop politicizing sports, and stop disrupting and undermining the Beijing Winter Olympics, lest it should affect bilateral dialogue and cooperation in important areas and international and regional issues, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian has recently said.

The U.S. practice gravely violates the principle of political neutrality enshrined in the Olympic Charter, runs counter to the Olympic motto of "together" and stands on the opposite side of global athletes and sports fans, said Zhao.

According to Olympic rules, officials are invited by their respective National Olympic Committee to attend the Olympic Games. Whether the U.S. officials will come to the Beijing Winter Olympics and root for their own athletes is the U.S.' own business, he said.