China accused the United States of violating the Olympic spirit after the Biden administration on Monday announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games over human rights concerns.

Rights groups have pushed for a full-blown boycott of the Games, accusing China of rights abuses against ethnic minorities.

The US decision falls short of those calls but comes at an exceptionally turbulent time for relations between the powerhouse nations and was met with a barrage of criticism from China.

The US is attempting to interfere with the Beijing Games “out of ideological prejudice and based on lies and rumours”, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

The boycott “seriously violates the principle of political neutrality of sports established by the Olympic Charter and runs counter to the Olympic motto ‘more united,’” Mr Zhao said.

He vowed that China would respond with “resolute countermeasures” but offered no details, saying: “The US will pay a price for its practices. You may stay tuned for follow-ups.”

On Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the Biden administration will support US athletes competing at the Games but won’t dispatch diplomats or officials to attend.

She said the US has a “fundamental commitment to promoting human rights” and that it “will not be contributing to the fanfare of the Games”.

The diplomatic boycott comes as the US attempts to accomplish the task of both stabilising difficult relations with Beijing and maintaining a tough stance on trade and political conflicts. The US has accused China of human rights abuses against Muslim Uyghurs in the Xinjiang province, suppressing democratic movements in Hong Kong, committing military aggression against the self-ruled island of Taiwan and more.

Beijing has denounced US criticisms and punitive sanctions as interference in its internal affairs and slapped visa bans on American politicians it regards as anti-China.

Mr Zhao warned the US to “stop politicising sports” and cease what he said were actions undermining the Beijing Winter Olympics, “otherwise it will undermine the dialogue and cooperation between the two countries in a series of important areas and international issues.”

The Chinese Embassy in Washington dismissed the move as posturing in a tweet.

China’s mission to the United Nations called the boycott a “self-directed political farce.”

Even the ruling Communist Party’s notoriously opaque Central Commission for Discipline Inspection issued a response in the form of a lengthy screed on its website.

“Some Western anti-China politicians” have shown a “defensive Cold War mentality aimed at politicizing sport,” the article said, calling that a “clear violation of the Olympic spirit and a challenge to all people who love the Olympic movement.”

People on the streets of Beijing were overall dismissive of the US move.

“I don’t think it matters at all if they would come or not. The Olympic Games are not about one country or a couple of countries,” said coffee shop employee Deng Tao.