China’s Xi likely to skip G20 summit in India

Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to skip a summit of G20 leaders in India next week, sources familiar with the matter in India and China told Reuters.

Two Indian officials, one diplomat based in China and one official working for the government of another G20 country said Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent Beijing at the Sept. 9-10 meeting in New Delhi.

Spokespersons for the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment.

The summit in India had been viewed as a venue at which Xi may meet with US President Joe Biden, who has confirmed his attendance, as the two superpowers seek to stabilise relations soured by a range of trade and geopolitical tensions.

Xi last met Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia last November.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has already announced that he will not be travelling to New Delhi and will send Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov instead.

One senior government official from host India told Reuters that "we are aware that the premier will come”, in place of Xi.

In China, two foreign diplomats and a government official from another G20 country said that Xi will likely not be travelling for the summit.

The sources in China, two of whom said they were informed by Chinese officials, said they were not aware of the reason for his expected absence.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Reuters