Following the announcement the US would not send any diplomats or officials to the upcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Australia has confirmed it will follow suit in the diplomatic boycott.

Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, confirmed Australian athletes would still compete at the Games, despite no officials or diplomats attending due to China’s human rights abuse allegations.

“I’m doing it because it’s in Australia’s national interest,” Morrison said.

“It’s the right thing to do,” he said.

Morrison said the boycott should come as “no surprise” due to the breakdown of the relationship between Australia and Chine over recent times and the ongoing human rights abuses in the Xinjiang province.

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) supported the decision, with CEO, Matt Carroll, saying: “Getting the athletes to Beijing safely, competing safely and bringing them home safely remains our greatest challenge.”

“Our Australian athletes have been training and competing with this Olympic dream for four years now and we are doing everything in our power to ensure we can help them succeed.

“Human rights are extremely important, but the considered view of diplomats is that keeping channels of communication open is far more impactful than shutting them down,” he said.

Following the first announcement from the US, the Chinese Government issued a warning to boycotting nations, saying they will respond with “firm countermeasures”.