Is Xi Jinping’s G20 summit pass a ‘missed opportunity’ or a sign of things to come?
- Chinese leader’s absence from India-hosted summit has raised more questions about a potential meeting with his US counterpart Joe Biden in November
- The decision has also sparked speculation about possible changing priorities for Beijing’s global alliances
As world leaders gather this weekend in New Delhi for the Group of 20 summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s decision not to attend the event has thrown a possible meeting in November with US President Joe Biden further into question.
The move has also prompted speculation about whether the decision signaled changing priorities for Beijing’s global relationships.
This week, Beijing confirmed that Premier Li Qiang would attend the G20 summit in India in place of Xi – without explanation – marking the first time that the Chinese leader will miss the annual forum of major world economies.
The announcement came just two weeks after Xi observed a historic expansion of the Brics grouping of emerging and developing economies while attending the bloc’s summit in South Africa, prompting speculation that China was turning more attention to boosting its alliances with developing nations amid tensions with the West.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping to skip G20 summit in New Delhi, India