U.S. State Department weighing joint boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics

April 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department said Tuesday that it is considering a possible joint boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that the prospect of a joint boycott is "something that we certainly wish to discuss," citing human rights violations by the Chinese government.

"A coordinated approach will be not only in our interests but also in the interests of our allies and partners," Price said.

In a tweet after the news conference, Price said that the United States is still consulting with allies given the distance of the event.

"As I said, we don't have any announcement regarding the Beijing Olympics," Price wrote. "2022 remains a ways off, but we will continue to consult closely with allies and partners to define our common concerns and establish our shared approach to the PRC."

Carrying over a terse relationship from the previous administration, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has sanctioned many Chinese officials for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and violating the rights of Uighur Muslims.

The Beijing Olympics are set to take place beginning Feb. 4 and a decision to skip the Games would mark the first time the United States has boycotted the event since skipping the 1980 Moscow Olympics in opposition to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., called on Biden to request that the 2022 Olympics be relocated to the United States.