The UK will not send ministers to the Winter Games in the Chinese capital Beijing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament, as discord over a slew of issues strains relations to the most serious extent since the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.
These include the persecution on pro-democracy groups in the former British colony of Hong Kong and human rights abuses against Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
"There will be effectively a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing," Johnson told the British parliament.
As with the US and Australian moves, he confirmed athletes would attend still, saying: "I do not think that sporting boycotts are sensible."
However, his comments left the possibility open that members of Britain's royal family could attend, with Princess Anne the president of the British Olympic Association.
The decision follows the United States announcing Monday its diplomatic boycott, over what Washington termed China's "genocide" of the Uyghur minority in the Xinjiang region and other human rights abuses.
Then on Wednesday, Australia said its officials would stay away, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowing not to "step back from the strong position we've had standing up for Australia's interests".
Beijing warned the US would "pay the price", while it accused Canberra of "political posturing and selfish games" and "blindly following" Washington.
Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China had never intended to invite Australian officials to the Games, adding: "Whether they come or not, nobody cares."
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