China has sent a statement to the world in response to diplomatic boycotts of the Winter Olympics – by selecting a Uyghur athlete as torch-bearer in the opening ceremony.

Skier Dinigeer Yilamujiang, who has been identified as being from the Uyghur community by state media, lit the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony in Beijing with another torch-bearer.

This comes after Britain, the US, Australia, and other countries announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics over human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities.

A tribunal in December found China guilty of genocide against the Uyghur people and other minorities, as well as being responsible for crimes against humanity, including torture and enslavement.

The choice of torch-bearer is being seen by many as a political statement in response to the boycotts.

Here are some other highlights from the opening ceremony

Related posts:

Myanmar’s military to pay lobbyist $2m to explain ‘real situation’ to US Dozens dead after school bus plunges into ravine in Indonesia Belgium dump holders Portugal out of Euro 2020 – after Czech Republic stun Netherlands World champions France knocked out of Euro 2020 by Switzerland Brazil to send troops back to Amazon to fight deforestation Mexico’s methane leak rate ‘alarming and worrying’ for climate change, report warns Ireland’s long wait for Olympic gold ends with ‘tremendous’ victory in double sculls Bomb blast at Kabul mosque leaves a ‘number of civilians dead’ ‘Sexist’ rule requiring female handball players to wear bikinis scrapped Sewage and informal settlements are choking Brazil’s Amazonian waterways Who to believe as West and Russia wage information war over Ukraine West and Russia wage information war over Ukraine