Biden ‘Disappointed’ Xi Will Not Attend G20 Summit

US President Joe Biden says  he is “disappointed” that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping plans to skip the upcoming G20 summit in India.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent Beijing at the summit in Delhi this week.

“I am disappointed… but I am going to get to see him,” Mr Biden told reporters but did not say when that meeting may take place.

The two leaders last met at the summit in Indonesia last year.

Mr Xi had earlier said he would travel to the Indian Capital for the meeting, however, China’s Foreign Ministry declined to  confirm his attendance when asked to do so at a regular press briefing.

News reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with preparations for the annual meeting, say Mr Xi does not plan to attend this year’s summit.

This comes amid worsening relations between China and India. Among other things, the two countries are facing off against each other along their disputed border in the Himalayan region.

Mr Xi and Mr Biden may still have an opportunity to speak in November, at a meeting among leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco.

The withdrawal comes as US-China ties have continued to deteriorate in the past year.

The two countries disagree over a range of issues, including human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, territorial claims to Taiwan and the South China Sea, and Beijing’s growing domination of a host of industries.

In an attempt to improve ties, a series of top US officials have travelled to China in recent months. These include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and US Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

BBC