US President Joe Biden on Sunday expressed his disappointment over the reports of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping’s plans to skip the G20 summit in India this week. “I am disappointed, but I am going to get to see him,” Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware when asked about indications Xi will not join the leaders’ summit, as quoted by Bloomberg.
However, Biden didn’t say anything about the location where he might next meet Xi if he doesn’t travel to Delhi. Biden and Xi may have an opportunity to meet in November, when the US hosts the APEC conference in San Francisco, Bloomberg reported. Xi is not planning to travel to India for the summit, according to officials familiar with preparations for the meeting informed on the condition of anonymity. The decision comes amid mounting tensions between India and China.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the summit in Xi’s place, according to a person familiar, while another said it would be another yet-to-be-named government official, as per Bloomberg. Biden and Xi last spoke on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November, but any progress following the talks was derailed after an alleged Chinese spy balloon crossed the US.
Many officials from the Biden administration have travelled to China recently in a bid to improve ties, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, climate envoy John Kerry, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The US had expectations that the G20 meet in India could be the next step to thaw the relationship with China. Biden said last week he “hopes” that Xi would attend the summit.
PM Modi, US Prez Joe Biden To Hold Bilateral Meeting On Sept 8 On Sidelines Of G20
US President Joe Biden will arrive in India next week to take part in the G20 Summit and will hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 on the sidelines of the meeting, the White House said. India, President of the G20, will host global leaders for the Summit scheduled to take place on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi.
The White House stated that Biden will commend PM Modi for his leadership of the G20 during the Summit. “On Thursday (September 7), the President will travel to New Delhi, India to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit. On Friday, the President will participate in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the White House said in its week ahead schedule of the president released Friday night, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Biden will participate on Saturday (September 9) and Sunday (September 10) in the G20 summit, where he and G20 partners will discuss a range of joint efforts to tackle global issues, including the clean energy transition and combatting climate change.