New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to forgo attendance at the upcoming G20 summit in India next week, as per sources informed from both India and China have shared with Reuters. It is anticipated that Premier Li Qiang will represent Beijing at the event scheduled for September 9–10 in New Delhi. Spokespersons from the foreign ministries of India and China have refrained from commenting on the matter.
The G20 summit in India was anticipated as a potential platform for a meeting between Xi and US President Joe Biden, who has confirmed his participation. This meeting would have been of significance as both superpowers strive to address and mend strained relations arising from trade and geopolitical disputes. Xi’s most recent interaction with Biden occurred on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November, last year. In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced his decision to abstain from travelling to New Delhi and has designated Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as his representative.
From China, sources, including two foreign diplomats and a government official representing another G20 nation, indicated that Xi is unlikely to attend the summit. These sources, who were informed by Chinese officials, cited their lack of knowledge regarding the reasons behind Xi’s potential absence.
In parallel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a conversation with Chinese President Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. During this exchange, Modi emphasised India’s concerns pertaining to unresolved matters along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. Both leaders agreed to instruct their respective officials to intensify efforts towards prompt disengagement and de-escalation.
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