Days after G20 Summit in Delhi, US, China call it ‘success’, ‘positive signal’

The leaders at India’s showpiece G20 Summit arrived at a joint communique with Russia-Ukraine conflict at the heart of the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration on Saturday. Although addressed in detail in seven paragraphs, the Declaration did not condemn Russia for its actions, nor did it call it an “aggression”. Instead, it carefully navigated the war with phrases, including, “all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state,” as well as “the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.”

China, meanwhile, reacting to the Summit, refrained from commenting on the absence of its President from the meet. A day earlier, China said that the Declaration has sent a “positive signal” that the member countries of the influential grouping are joining hands in tackling global challenges and economic recovery. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, addressing a media briefing, said, “The declaration released by the G20 summit shows that China’s proposition is a good signal,”

Commenting on the absence of China from the Summit, Miller said, “I am not going to speak to whether President Xi should have attended or should not have attended. I will say we found it incredibly productive for President Biden and Secretary Blinken to be there, engaging directly with their counterparts… we found it incredibly productive for the interests of the United States to be able to have those conversations and advance them. As the White House made public over the weekend, in addition to the sessions, the President had a number of pull-asides with leaders of other countries where we were actively advancing the foreign policy priorities of the United States, including engaging on the war in Ukraine.”

The New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration addressed one of the concerns of the Global South touched off by the war in Ukraine by using a broadbrush of economic distress post pandemic and acknowledging differences.

On the question on how Beijing views the outcome of the G20 summit, Mao said, “China played a “constructive role and also attached importance to the concerns of developing countries and supported the outcome which was conducive to global common development.” “We support the G20 solidarity and cooperation in tackling risks to the world economy and various development sectors,” she added.

Speaking about the presence of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, in place of President Xi, the spokesperson said, “He championed that all countries need to adhere to the original aspiration of solidarity and cooperation and shoulder the responsibility of times and promote a partnership conducive to global economic recovery, openness, cooperation and sustainable development.”

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