Editor's note: Xin Ping is a commentator on international affairs who writes regularly for CGTN, Global Times and China Daily. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The U.S. seems to never run out of excuses and tricks to keep its competitors down. To win the Cold War against the Soviet Union, it applied a series of strategies ranging from economic and technological blockades, arms races and "color revolutions" to Star Wars culture. It pressured Japan into signing the Plaza Accord in 1985, strengthening Japan's currency against the U.S. dollar and causing Japan's long-lasting economic plight.

In many cases, the U.S. seems willing to trade its international image and credibility for short-term geopolitical interest, sometimes unscrupulously. In 1999, the U.S. launched air strikes for more than two months against Yugoslavia in the name of human rights. In 2003, the U.S. began its invasion of Iraq based on the infamous "test tube full of washing powder," which then U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell used as a prop to claim evidence of weapons of mass destruction. In many other places all over the world, the U.S. has disrupted and even toppled governments it found unsuitable to U.S. purposes.

Now, the tide has turned. The U.S. is concentrating its firepower on one country in the crosshairs – China. This country in the east, distinct in many aspects but particularly in its political system, has achieved things deemed unimaginable by the U.S. As a self-claimed Chosen Land of God, the U.S. has resorted to whatever means are at its disposal to slow down China's development.

Be it a Chinese citizen taken as hostage, a third country used as a pawn, or an international organization hijacked to serve selfish interests, the U.S. will go to any lengths to retain its hegemony, even if China never actually stated any intention to be a challenger. Recently, it is the Winter Olympics that has become a new utensil in the toolkit.

The U.S. announced that it would not send any official delegation to the Beijing Winter Olympics, rehashing a myriad of long-debunked claims to justify its decision, such as "forced labor" and cyber security concerns.

Just this week, Reuters disclosed that the U.S. State Department was preparing to authorize departures for American diplomats and their families in China due to the "strict pandemic control measures," in an apparent attempt to cause panic before the Winter Olympics.

Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, stressed on multiple occasions that a political boycott serves no purpose. The boycott may discourage athletes and viewers, and goes against the Olympic spirit and all the values we hold dear and stand for in sport.

The U.S. is not good at remembering, still less revisiting history. In fact, back in 1892, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the visionary founder of the modern Olympic Games, proposed to restore the Olympics. The idea was nothing to do with politics, but aimed at building a better mankind. This, as all the Olympic Games in the history have shown, should always be a goal of all nations, whether they scrape a living from a harsh environment or enjoy state-of-the-art technological services. It should be a time when athletes impress the world and exert influence through their performance, maintaining the Olympic spirit of becoming "Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together."

The past and present have provided ample reason for the U.S. to stop politically interfering with the Olympics and enjoy this global celebration of human achievement with an unfettered mind – even if it's just for a moment. The U.S. should abandon its cold war mentality and truly understand Baron Pierre De Coubertin's pursuit of building up better men.

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