President Biden said he was disappointed over news that Chinese President Xi Jinping will reportedly not attend the upcoming G20 summit in India.
Speaking to reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Biden said, “I am disappointed, but I’m gonna get to see him,” without providing further details.
Biden on reports that Xi is skipping India g20 summit: "I'm disappointed" pic.twitter.com/3idQvQAieF
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 4, 2023
The White House had previously announced that Biden would travel to New Delhi, India, from September 7-10 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The two leaders last met at the prior G20 summit hosted in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022.
US-China relations have deteriorated since then, particularly following an incident earlier this year when a Chinese spy craft entered US airspace. In an effort to ease tensions, Biden dispatched several diplomats, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, to China. However, Biden continued to refer to Xi as a “dictator,” a term that drew criticism from Beijing.
When asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent announcement that he would request the dismissal of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov from parliament, Biden declined to comment further.
Responding to a question about his goals for the visits to India and Vietnam, Biden stated, “I want a little more coordination. I think they both want closer relations with the United States, and that could be very helpful.”
The White House, in its August announcement, stated that Biden and his G20 counterparts would discuss various global issues, including the transition to clean energy and combating climate change, addressing the economic and social impacts of the conflict in Ukraine, and strengthening the capacity of multilateral development banks such as the World Bank to fight poverty.
During his visit to New Delhi, Biden will also commend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership of the G20 and reaffirm the US commitment to the G20 as the premier forum for economic cooperation.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the Global Trade in Services Summit of the 2023 China International Fair for Trade in Services via video in Beijing on Saturday. Xi’s absence from the G20 summit in India is a reflection of the frosty relations between China and India, particularly concerning their disputed border and trade issues. Rivalries between the two nations have also escalated as India strengthens its strategic ties with the United States.
Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the G20 summit in India, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The decision underscores the continued tensions between the two Asian giants.
President Biden said he was "disappointed" the #CCP leader Xi Jinping is skipping the #G20Summit.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will be attending the summit in Xi's place. pic.twitter.com/hU28ihHE7x
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) September 4, 2023
Relations between India and China have been strained for years, with a deadly border clash in the Ladakh region in 2020 resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers. The border dispute led to a lengthy standoff with tens of thousands of military personnel from both sides deployed in the region. Trade disputes and India’s deepening partnership with the United States have further fueled tensions between the two countries.
