G20 Summit India 2023 China President Xi Jinping India China Ties US President Joe Biden PM Narendra Modi

G20 Summit India: In an unprecedented move, a Chinese President will not be attending the G20 Summit for the first time ever since the grouping was upgraded to the level of Heads of State or Heads of Government in 2008. On Monday, China announced that it will be sending its Premier, a level much below the President, to attend the G20 Summit that will be held under India’s presidency on September 9 and 10. “Premier Li Qiang will lead a delegation to the New Delhi G20 Summit in India … At the invitation of the government of the Republic of India, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will attend the 18th G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi, India on September 9 and 10,” China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said. Asked about China’s expectations from the G20 Summit in India, Mao said, “As the world economy experiences more downward pressure and challenges grow for global sustainable development, it is important that the G20, being the premier forum for international economic cooperation, strengthen partnership and rise up to the big challenges facing global economy and development so as to contribute to world economic recovery and growth and global sustainable development.” She added: “We hope the New Delhi summit will form consensus on that, send out a message of confidence, and promote shared prosperity and development.” The statements made by her made it amply clear that Xi will indeed not be coming to India even though she did not mention it explicitly despite being repeatedly asked by reporters, who were attending the spokesperson’s media briefing Monday, to give a reason for Xi’s absence. By not coming to India for the G20 Summit, China has sought to send a “strong signal” to New Delhi that it is not going to relent at the border areas too, said a source.