Australia's wrong stance criticized

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday that China never planned to invite Australian officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics, adding that nobody cares whether they come or not.

The Olympics are not a stage for political posturing or manipulation, Wang told a daily news conference.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday that the country will not send any official representatives to the Games due to so-called human rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The announcement followed a similar decision by the United States on Monday.

Their political posturing for selfish gains has no impact whatsoever on a successful Games, Wang said.

Linking Australian government officials' attendance to human rights issues is just inventing excuses to smear China, Wang said.

China deplores and rejects such practices and has lodged stern representations with Australia, he said.

Australia's move violated the principle of political neutrality enshrined in the Olympic Charter, and the country stands on the opposite side of global athletes and sports fans, Wang said.

It also shows that the Australian government so blindly follows a certain country in its steps that it can't tell right from wrong and has no bottom line, he said. "The world will surely see a streamlined, safe and splendid Beijing Winter Olympics as scheduled," Wang said.