In an ironic twist of fate, America’s long-standing “One-China” policy has come back to bite them at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

For years, the U.S. has tiptoed around the diplomatic tightrope, acknowledging Beijing’s claim over Taiwan and Hong Kong while quietly supporting their separate identities on the global stage.

But when it comes to the Olympic medal tally, suddenly, China’s narrative becomes convenient. By folding the medals won by Taiwan and Hong Kong into the People’s Republic of China’s count, Beijing surged past the U.S. in the standings, much to the chagrin of American officials.

So, while the U.S. may have played the game of “strategic ambiguity” for decades, they certainly weren’t prepared for this masterclass in Olympic scoreboard manipulation. It seems the “One-China” policy, once a tool of diplomacy, has become a golden (and silver, and bronze) trap for American pride.