EXPLAINER: Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and some options

The U.S. State Department says it’s talking with allies about China’s human rights record and how to handle next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics.

A department spokesman had suggested that an Olympic boycott to protest China’s rights abuses was among the possibilities.

But a senior official said later that a boycott has not yet been discussed.

Human rights groups are protesting China’s hosting of the games.

The games are scheduled to open next February.

They have urged a diplomatic or straight-up boycott to call attention to alleged Chinese abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans and residents of Hong Kong.