This weekend, world leaders will meet for the G20 summit in India. However, two central players will be conspicuous by their absence. Both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have canceled.
The US will use this void to its advantage, writes New York Times.
Among other things, President Joe Biden wants to strengthen relations with the host country India. With Xi and Putin out of the way, he will also have room to argue to the other world leaders that they should side with the US in matters that condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine and slow China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
– Shall we use our fingers as bayonets?
Important for cooperation, the US believes
US President Joe Biden arrived in India’s capital New Delhi on Friday with clear plans for the meeting. The backdrop for them is the increased military and economic aggression from China and Russia, and the US’s desire to strengthen cooperation with developing countries.
– We hope this G20 summit will show that the world’s largest economies can work together even in challenging times, says US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, according to CNN.
Biden stated earlier this week that he was disappointed that Xi Jinping could not attend.
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First time since 2013
It was expected in advance that Vladimir Putin would not participate in the summit, since he is internationally wanted for war crimes in Ukraine. As a replacement, Russia has sent its foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.
The fact that China’s head of state Xi Jinping is staying at home, on the other hand, has caused several people to raise their eyebrows.
This is the first time ever that the Chinese leader, who came to power in 2013, is not attending a G20 meeting. Instead, Li Qiang, the country’s prime minister, will represent China’s interests. This was stated by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Monday.
Speculation runs rampant: – Mysterious
Rumors abound
The absence of Xi has created a flood of rumors among the experts. Several speculate about his state of health, while others believe more complicated conditions are at the root.
Beijing is under increasing pressure as a result of its close relationship with Russia. Some analysts have suggested that Xi is avoiding the G20 meeting partly in solidarity with Putin, according to The Guardian.
Others point to the strained relationship between China and India as a reason why the president is staying at home.
The competition between the two great powers is enormous both economically and militarily.
Stoltenberg warns against escalation
Uncertainty about statement
During the previous summit, the leaders did not reach a joint statement. It is speculated whether this meeting will have the same fate.
The uncertainty is particularly linked to the conditions surrounding the war in Ukraine, as neither Russia nor China will accept a statement that distances itself from the war.
Last year’s summit was dominated by disagreements among G20 countries over how to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Among other things, India has abstained from voting for UN resolutions condemning the invasion, and has bought record amounts of Russian oil in the last couple of years.
India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi are hosting this weekend’s summit. The meeting will largely be about finances.
The G20 consists of 19 countries and the EU. Together, they account for 80 percent of the world’s total production, and 60 percent of the world’s land area.
2023-09-08 21:29:45
#Gap #Russia #China
