Sources cite strained relations with Indian partners and problems within the country as reasons for Xi Jinping's absence.
Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang will lead the country's delegation at the upcoming G20 summit to be held in India in September. This was announced by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.
According to Mao Ning, the invitation to attend the 18th G20 summit in New Delhi was accepted from the Indian government. Li Qiang will present China's position and proposals on G20 cooperation and promote the group's unity to jointly respond to global economic and development challenges.
Despite earlier rumors of a possible trip by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mao Ning did not give a specific answer when asked about his attendance at the summit.
Reuters previously reported that Li Qiang will represent China at the G20 summit and Xi Jinping is apparently not planning to attend the event, despite the summit being seen as a possible meeting between Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden. The reason for this decision has not been officially announced.
According to Bloomberg, Xi Jinping likely declined to attend the summit due to diplomatic tensions with India, which is an important defense partner of the US. It is also speculated that the Chinese president is currently focusing on the country's domestic issues and wants to limit his participation in international events.
The G20 summit will be held from September 9 to 11 in India's capital, New Delhi. Russia will be represented at the forum by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, while Russian President Vladimir Putin is not planning to travel to the event.