Will Xi Jinping’s likely absence at G20 Summit reflect on host country?

It is now virtually certain that Xi Jinping won’t attend the G20 Summit being held against the backdrop of deep divisions within world’s 20 largest economies.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence at the G20 Summit next week won’t reflect on the host country as some heads of state or government have skipped past summits for their own reasons, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping. (File Photo)

It is now virtually certain that Xi won’t attend the summit being held against the backdrop of deep divisions within the world’s 20 largest economies on the Ukraine crisis and a dragging military standoff between India and China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Beijing is expected to be represented at the meet by Premier Li Qiang, the people said.

There has been no official word from China on Xi’s participation in the G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi during September 9-10.

“There are some media reports that some heads of state may skip the G20 Summit in India,” one of the people cited above said. “These things do not reflect anything about the host country,” he added.

The people added that G20 leaders, from time to time, skip summits of the grouping for their own reasons and the level of attendance at the summits varies from year to year.

Within diplomatic circles in New Delhi, Xi’s absence at the G20 Summit will be seen as a snub to the Indian presidency of the grouping. Diplomatic circles had been following this issue very closely amid suggestions that the Chinese leader could skip the summit.

There were also reports that the SCO Summit in July was held virtually after the Chinese side didn’t confirm Xi’s participation in the meeting.

HT has reported that several behind the scenes developments suggested Xi is unlikely to attend the G20 Summit. A flight plan filed through official channels for the VVIP aircraft carrying the Chinese delegation to the G20 Summit showed it will arrive in New Delhi from Jakarta, where Premier Li Qiang will head the Chinese delegation at the East Asia Summit.

It is already known Xi won’t attend the East Asia Summit, which brings together the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and eight dialogue partners.

Indian security officials attached to a Chinese advance party that was in New Delhi last month to assess preparations for the G20 Summit also picked up indications that the Chinese delegation is expected to be led by Li.

India-China relations are currently in one of their worst phases in six decades, with the standoff on the LAC currently in its fourth year. The two sides have failed to reach an understanding on disengagement of troops at crucial friction points such as Depsang and Demchok despite multiple rounds of talks.

A new “standard map” issued by Beijing that showed Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh within China’s border also elicited an angry response from India, which registered a protest on the issue through diplomatic channels.

The Indian side has told China that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas and respecting the LAC are “essential” for normalising bilateral ties.