Joe Biden on Xi Jinping skipping G20 summit in India: ‘I am disappointed, but…’

Commenting on reports that Xi will not be attending the summit, Biden said, “I am disappointed, but I am going to get to see him.” He will reportedly meet Xi in San Francisco later this year for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting.

As per the White House, Biden is expected to land in India on September 7 (Thursday). He will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 on the sidelines of the summit.

The G20 Summit will be held in New Delhi from September 9 (Saturday) to September 10 (Sunday). World leaders like US President Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will attend the event.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi are likely to skip the summit.

Amit reports that Xi will not be attending the summit, Special Secretary for G20 Muktesh Pardeshi said on Friday that India is awaiting a written confirmation from China on President Xi’s participation in the G20 Leaders Summit.

“We have seen some reports in the newspapers. But, we go by written confirmation. And we have not seen (a written confirmation). Unless we see that I am not in a position to say either way,” Pardeshi told PTI when asked about reports of Xi skipping the G20 meeting and deputing Prime Minister Li Qiang for the event.

Pardeshi said the participation of world leaders in summits such as the G20 is usually conveyed through a diplomatic note, reported PTI. “I think that is awaited…We have received most of the other confirmations,” he added.

At the conclusion of the summit, PM Modi will hand over the baton of the G20 Presidency to Brazilian President Lula, following which Brazil will formally assume the G20 Presidency from December 1.

The G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population. The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).

(With inputs from PTI)

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