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Top Chinese officials likely to be absent from Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony
- Foreign ministry spokesman says ‘China supports Japan’ in hosting a successful Games
- About 15 global leaders to attend what is expected to be a subdued event on Friday night
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Beijing has apparently not sent any senior Chinese officials to attend what is expected to be a subdued opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday night.
Asked directly on Thursday if China was sending any leaders to Tokyo, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian would not be drawn, saying only that “I can tell you that China supports Japan in hosting a successful Tokyo Olympic Games”.
He confirmed that the Chinese delegation had arrived in Japan, led by Gou Zhongwen, head of the General Administration of Sport. The delegation of 777 is the country’s biggest sent to an Olympics held outside China and includes more than 400 athletes.
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The Games – postponed last year because of the pandemic – begin as Covid-19 cases in Tokyo have reached a six-month high, and with the city in a state of emergency until August 22. Spectators have been barred from attending most events at the Olympics, which will run until August 8.
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Japanese media has reported that less that 950 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony on Friday, according to Reuters, including about 15 global leaders.
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Among those attending are French President Emmanuel Macron, US first lady Jill Biden, who is leading the American delegation, and Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene.
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