Shruti Suman
US President Joe Biden expressed his disappointment regarding reports that his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, may not attend the G20 summit in New Delhi this week.
“I am disappointed, but I will have the chance to meet with him,” Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Sunday when asked about indications that Xi might not participate in the leaders’ summit.
Biden did not specify where their next meeting might take place. In the event Xi does not travel to Delhi, there may be an opportunity for them to meet in November, as the US is set to host the APEC conference in San Francisco.
Officials familiar with summit preparations, who requested anonymity to discuss the planning, confirmed that Xi does not intend to travel to India for the summit. This decision comes amid escalating tensions between China and India and is likely to further strain their relations.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent Xi at the summit, according to one source, while another suggested that another government official would attend in Xi’s absence.
Biden and Xi last conversed on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November. However, any progress in their relations was disrupted when an alleged Chinese spy balloon crossed into US airspace.
The two countries hold significant disagreements on various issues, including Taiwan, influenced in part by visits from US lawmakers to the island and a trip by Taiwan’s president to the US, as well as Biden’s export bans on semiconductor technology, reports of Chinese surveillance activities in Cuba, and the incident involving the spy balloon.
In recent months, several high-ranking officials from the Biden administration have traveled to China in an effort to improve bilateral ties. These officials include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, climate envoy John Kerry, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The US had hoped that the G20 meeting in India could serve as a crucial step toward improving the relationship with China. Last week, Biden expressed his “hope” that Xi would attend the summit.
