Chinese President will not attend Delhi G-20 summit
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the 18th G20 Summit in Delhi this weekend, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a brief statement on its website Monday afternoon.
The announcement effectively means President Xi Jinping will not be present, as Beijing will not send its two most powerful leaders abroad at the same time, let alone to appear at the same event.
Quoting foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, the statement said, “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.” The spokesperson further said “China hopes the summit can consolidate consensus, convey confidence and promote development”.
“China has always placed high importance on and actively participated in relevant events… in attending this meeting, Premier Li Qiang will convey China’s thoughts and positions on G20 cooperation, pushing for the G20 to strengthen unity and cooperation, and working together to combat global economic and development challenges,” the spokesperson was quoted by news agency AFP.