Xi Jinping to Skip G20 Summit; Premier Li Qiang to Lead Chinese Delegation

New Delhi: China has officially communicated to India that President Xi Jinping will not be attending the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Instead, Premier Li Qiang will lead the Chinese delegation at the summit scheduled for September 9 and 10, 2023. This marks the first time Xi Jinping will be absent from a G20 Summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously conveyed his inability to attend the summit in person and announced that Russia would be represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The last meeting between Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took place during the BRICS summit in South Africa. During this meeting, PM Modi expressed India’s concerns regarding unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border areas.

Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of improving China-India relations, stating that it serves the common interests of both countries and their people. This meeting was only the second between the two leaders since the Galwan clashes in May 2020.

Notably, some experts view Xi Jinping’s decision to skip the G20 Summit as a potential signal that China may be reluctant to address border disputes with India.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden expressed his hope for Xi Jinping’s attendance at the G20 Summit and is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with PM Modi on September 8, one day before the summit commences.