2023-09-08 01:57:41
Xi Jinping’s absence from the G20 summit, American scholars: missed opportunities and missed strategies. (Xinhua News Agency)
When the G20 summit opens tomorrow (September 9) in New Delhi, India, Chinese President Xi Jinping will be absent. Voice of America quoted analysts as saying that this may give global solutions to issues such as climate change and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Efforts on pressing issues are overshadowed.
Beijing did not say why Xi was absent. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a notice on its official website on Monday announcing that Premier Li Qiang would attend the summit. At the press conference that day, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning did not add much, only saying that “China has always attached great importance to and actively participated in relevant activities.”
Analysts said Xi’s decision to skip the meeting raised questions and highlighted a shift in priorities on Beijing’s foreign policy agenda. First, they said, not attending would mean missing out on an opportunity to engage with top leaders of other countries and improve relations.
The report quoted Moritz Rudolf, a researcher at the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale Law School, as saying, “China hopes to become a leader in global diplomacy, but the absence of Xi Jinping contradicts this image.” The decision also reflects a shift in the focus of China’s foreign policy agenda, prioritizing engagement with developing countries.”
“From the BRICS summit and other diplomatic events, including the China-Central Asia summit in May and Xi Jinping’s trip to the Middle East, we can try to deduce the priorities of China’s foreign policy, focusing on global south.”
“The priority of China’s foreign policy is not at the G20 summit, because this is not a forum that China can benefit a lot from.” Lu Dehua said that it is easier for China to prioritize the upcoming “Belt and Road” forum, when they will celebrate the establishment of the Ten anniversary.
China will host activities to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in October.
close friends first
According to the report, Xi Jinping has not missed any G20 summit since he came to power more than ten years ago. This year, even as China rolled back strict coronavirus restrictions and Mr Xi embarked on an unconventional third term in office, his overseas travel has fallen sharply. Xi has only left China twice so far, once in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in March and most recently at the BRICS summit in South Africa. Both countries are considered friendly to China.
The report quoted Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, as analyzing, “Xi Jinping’s visit to a certain country, even if he is participating in a multilateral forum, still requires a relatively positive bilateral relationship between China and the host country.”
Some examples of this tradition include Xi Jinping’s attendance at the G20 summit in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Thailand in 2022. Sun Yun observed, “These are countries with relatively good relations with China, so I am not surprised that Xi Jinping was absent from the G20 summit in India.”
Sun Yun and other analysts said that they believed that the unresolved tension between China and India was one of the reasons for Xi Jinping’s absence from the G20 summit. “In China’s view, India is not cooperating with China. meeting to assert its claim to the disputed territory.”
A new map released by Beijing last week showing China’s claims to disputed territory prompted New Delhi to lodge a diplomatic protest despite a series of talks between China and India aimed at resolving a longstanding border dispute.
In addition to ongoing tensions with India, other analysts believe U.S.-led efforts to counter China and Washington’s recent military support for Taiwan may have played a role in Xi’s decision to skip the G20 summit, the report said.
The report quoted Zhiqun Zhu, an expert on China’s foreign policy at Bucknell University, as saying, “Biden’s visit to India and Vietnam was seen by Beijing as an effort to contain China, and Beijing was shocked by Washington’s increased military aid to Taiwan. ”
Will Xi Jinping also miss APEC?
World leaders had mixed reactions to Xi Jinping’s decision to skip the G20 summit, with US President Joe Biden expressing disappointment at the news and Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar noting that Xi’s absence would not affect efforts by G20 leaders to formulate a communique.
While some observers say this would be a missed opportunity, others see China’s decision not to engage with certain countries as an attempt to change their behavior.
The report quoted Sun Yun as saying, “For example, if the goal is to change the behavior of the United States, some people will say that Washington has sent four cabinet members to Beijing since June, which is a good sign that China’s strategy is working. .”
The US will host the AEPC summit in San Francisco in November, will China do it once more? That remains to be seen.
Discussions are still ongoing regarding a possible sideline meeting between the U.S. and Chinese leaders during the APEC summit. The Washington Post reported in July that the White House had decided to ban Li Jiachao from attending the summit. Sun Yun believes that “if Li Jiachao’s visa is rejected, China will think it is a shame,”
There are still regarding two months before the APEC summit. Sun Yun said that an important indicator of whether Xi Jinping will attend the summit is whether Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will come to Washington to pave the way for the summit. “If Wang Yi visits Washington, it is Xi Jinping. A strong signal that he will attend the APEC summit.”
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