Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to skip the upcoming G-20 summit in the capital, reported Reuters. A diplomat of Indian origin, based in China and an Indian official working for the government of another G-20 country, revealed that Premier Li Qiang is expected to substitute for Jinping, and represent Beijing at the summit in Delhi, on September 9 and 10. “We are aware that the premier will come”, in place of Mr. Xi, an Indian government official told Reuters.
The sources further informed that the reason for Jinping’s absence remains obscure, as per Chinese officials- who spoke on condition of anonymity, as they are not authorised to speak to the media. Spokespersons from the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries refused to comment. Jinping had last met Biden at the G-20 summit held in Bali, Indonesia last November.
The summit was viewed as a pertinent venue for US President Joe Biden to cross paths with China’s leader Xi Jinping, and assuage geopolitical tensions between the two superpowers. Additionally, a meeting was highly anticipated, keeping in view the series of visits made by top US officials to Beijing in the recent months, including the Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visit to the country earlier this week.
Another potential Dias for the two leaders to meet in person is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting, scheduled to be held in San Francisco from November 12 to 18.
While Xi Jinping broke the record with a third term as leader in October, 2022, the Chinese leader has seldom flown out of the country since the ease in pandemic induced border restrictions. He did, however attend a meeting of the leaders of the BRICS consortium of major emerging economies-Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — in South Africa last week.
A series of ministerial meetings, ahead of the G-20 summit were flagged by Russia and China together. The allies jointly opposed statements denouncing Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year.
President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a brief exchange on the sidelines of the BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, wherein, they discussed mitigating tensions in their bilateral relationships, which had deteriorated following the clashes along their Himalayan border in 2020, that also left 24 soldiers deceased.
Russian President Vladmir Putin had already opted out of the summit, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will substitute on his behalf.
