Xi Counts Some Diplomatic Wins After Polarizing Winter Games
- Russia-China statement counters U.S. stance, roils Taiwan
- Xi held at least 18 bilateral meetings with other leaders
Xi Jinping during the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Photographer: Anthony Wallace/AFP/Getty Images
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The Beijing Winter Olympics ended Sunday without a major protest, diplomatic incident, virus debacle or war in Ukraine. For Chinese President Xi Jinping, that’s about as good as could be expected.
A U.S.-led diplomatic boycott had raised the stakes for governments around the world, with attendance framed as a choice between respecting human rights or cozying up to the world’s No. 2 economy. The most-powerful attendee, Russian President Vladimir Putin, added to the drama with a military buildup around Ukraine as Western powers sought to deter a conflict.