Reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping might not attend the upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi have disappointed US President Joe Biden, according to reports. Biden expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation to the media during a press conference in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, but he also made a suggestion that they might meet again in the future.
In case Xi skips the New Delhi summit, they might meet in November in San Francisco, where the United States will host the APEC summit. Biden did not identify the location of this hypothetical meeting.
Unnamed officials familiar with summit preparations have indicated that Xi has no plans to travel to India for the summit. This decision comes at a time of increasing tensions between China and India, which could further strain their relations.
Instead of Xi, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent China at the summit, according to one source, while another suggests it could be another high-ranking government official.
The last time Biden and Xi spoke was during the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November. However, any progress made during that conversation was overshadowed by an alleged incident involving a Chinese spy balloon that entered US airspace.
The two countries are currently at odds on a range of issues, including Taiwan, which has been exacerbated by US lawmakers visiting the island and a trip by Taiwan’s president to the United States. Additionally, there are disputes related to Biden’s export bans on semiconductor technology, reports of Chinese surveillance from Cuba, and the incident involving the alleged spy balloon.
In recent months, several high-ranking officials from the Biden administration have traveled to China in an effort to improve relations. These include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, climate envoy John Kerry, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Last week, Biden expressed hope that Xi would attend the G20 summit.
The decision by Chinese President Xi Jinping to skip the G20 Summit in New Delhi, scheduled for September 9 and 10, has left many wondering about the motivations behind this move.
