- Biden Expresses Disappointment Over Xi’s G20 Absence
- Chinese Delegation Led by Li Qiang to Attend G20 Summit
- US-China Relations Remain Fraught Amid Ongoing Disputes
US President Joe Biden has said he is “disappointed” that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping intends to skip the upcoming G20 summit in India.
Mr. Biden told reporters on Sunday, “I am disappointed… but I will get to see him,” but he did not specify when this encounter might take place.
Beijing announced on Monday that Li Qiang will lead the Chinese delegation to the summit in Delhi this week.
Last year, Mr. Xi and Mr. Biden met at the G20 summit in Indonesia.
Despite a flurry of diplomatic visits from Washington this year to revive dialogue, US-China relations remain fraught.
When asked about Mr. Xi’s presence at the Delhi summit at Monday’s press briefing, China’s foreign ministry didn’t respond.
“Li Qiang will preside over the Chinese delegation at the G20 summit. It is a significant global economic forum. China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said it has long valued it and actively participated in related events.
Last week, unidentified sources said Mr. Xi would not attend.
The news arrives as relations between China and India deteriorate. Among other things, the two nations are engaged in conflict along their contested border in the Himalayan region. 0
Beijing’s map claiming Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin plateau as Chinese territory sparked protests in India the week before.
Mr. Xi and Mr. Biden may speak at an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in San Francisco in November.
About two months after the two leaders met in November on the Indonesian island of Bali, an alleged Chinese spy balloon in the skies above the United States dashed expectations for a reset in bilateral relations, delaying efforts to initiate dialogue by several months.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, territorial claims to Taiwan and the South China Sea, and economic restrictions that limit Beijing’s access to high-tech components are all points of contention between the two nations.
In recent months, several senior US officials have traveled to China to strengthen relations. State Secretary Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Climate Change Special Envoy John Kerry are examples.
Mr. Xi promotes Beijing as the leader of the developing world to challenge Washington’s world order.
In his speeches during a meeting with British leaders in South Africa last month, he criticized the West’s “hegemony” and urged developing nations to “throw off the yoke of colonialism.”
Originally, The Brics also referred to an association of five developing nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
In January, six new countries – Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – will join, which is widely viewed as a diplomatic victory for Beijing.
