New Delhi: Chinese President Xi Jinping may not join the G20 leaders’ summit in India next week, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources in India and China.
According to the report, China will send Premier Li Qiang as its representative to the September 9-10 meeting in New Delhi, where Xi Jinping was expected to meet US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The report quoted two Indian officials, one diplomat based in China, and one official from another G20 country as saying that Xi’s absence was confirmed by Chinese sources, but the reason was not revealed.
Xi, who secured a third term as leader last year, has made few overseas trips since China eased its strict pandemic border controls this year.
The Chinese President recently attended the BRICS summit in South Africa, where he had an informal chat with PM Modi amid the ongoing border standoff between India and China.
Xi’s no-show at the G20 summit follows the announcement by the Kremlin that Russian President Vladimir Putin will also skip the event. Russia will be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the forum.
