Setback for India! China's Prez Xi Jinping likely to skip G20 summit; arrows toward map controversy

• Image Credit: Prag News

• Aug 31, 2023 | Poonam Nath

The India summit had been considered as a possible site for Xi to meet with US President Joe Biden, who has confirmed his attendance...

Digital Desk: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to avoid the G20 conference in India next week, as reported by sources familiar with the subject in both India and China.

Two Indian officials, one based in China and one working for the government of another G20 country, claimed the 8th Premier Li Qiang is anticipated to represent Beijing at the September 9-10 summit in New Delhi.

However, the spokesperson for the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries did not reply to calls for comment.

From US President Joe Biden to France's Emmanuel Macron and the United Kingdom's Rishi Sunak, the world's most powerful leaders will gather in New Delhi in September to attend the 18th G20 Summit.

Everyone is curious now if Xi is going to avoid the historic summit - the first in Southeast Asia - in the National Capital from September 8 to 10, the reports emerged after following Beijing's release of a 2023 map that includes Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin region. Well, can that be an important point to skip down such a crucial meeting?

It is also to be mentioned that, the new disagreement comes only days after Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to de-escalate tensions along the Ladakh border during a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in August.

Furthermore, Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that he will not be visiting New Delhi and will be replaced by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

According to one senior government official in host India, "we are aware that Premier Li Qiang will come" in place of Xi Jinping.

Two of these three Chinese individuals stated that they had been briefed by Chinese officials, but they were unaware of the cause of Xi's scheduled absence.

All officials spoke on the condition of secrecy because they were not permitted to make statements to the media.