INDIA/CHINA: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to boycott a G20 summit in India next week, according to reports. Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent Beijing at the September 9-10 summit in New Delhi.
China’s President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the East and Southeast Asian leaders’ conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, from September 5 to 7.
Since US President Joe Biden has confirmed his presence, it had been speculated that Xi and Biden could meet at the summit in India as the two superpowers work to mend fences that have been frayed by a number of trade and geopolitical disputes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s absence and his replacement with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have been made public. India’s senior government official confirmed to the media that the premier will replace Xi Jinping.
Foreign diplomats and a government official from another G20 nation in China suggest that Xi is likely not to travel to the summit.
According to the reports, the reason of Xi’s anticipated absence is unknown. Numerous high-ranking Americans who have visited Beijing in recent months, notably Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo earlier this week, have increased interest in a meeting between Xi and Biden.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting, which will take place from November 12 to 18, in San Francisco, is another upcoming summit where the two presidents are expected to meet in person.
Xi has only made limited travels abroad since lifting pandemic-induced border controls. However, he attended a BRICS leaders’ conference in South Africa, attended by representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
G20 ministerial talks in India have been tense due to China and Russia’s objections to joint statements denouncing Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. During the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Xi and Indian PM Narendra Modi discussed easing tensions in their bilateral relationship, which deteriorated after the 2020 Himalayan border clashes.
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