China: Condemning the Chinese actions against Uyghur in Xinjiang, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated support for the Uighurs. 

In an interview with NBC, Blinken said, “We need to be able to bring the world together in speaking with one voice in condemning what has taken place and what continues to take place; we need to take, actually, concrete actions to make sure, for example, that none of our companies are providing China with things that they can use to repress populations, including the Uyghur population; we need to be looking at products that are made in that part of China to make sure that they’re not coming here, but we also have to make sure that we are dealing with all of our interests, and what is the best way to effectively advance our interests and our values.” 

To justify the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, he said that the US Senate committed to end the war and call back their troops. “President is committed to ending this war, to bringing our troops home, and to make sure as we do that to the best of our ability that Afghanistan never again becomes a haven for terrorism and particularly for terrorism that targets the United States,” he said.

He further quoted,” any peace that is going to be lasting and that is going to just have to be Afghan-led, and what we’re doing now is really energizing our diplomacy to try to bring the parties together – the Taliban, the Government of Afghanistan, other key players, but also countries in the region that have interests and influence in Afghanistan – to try and move in that direction.”

It is speculated that the United States will not be participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics, however, the Secretary reports that the discussion with the allies is on.