Xi Jinping skipping G-20 Summit a deliberate signal to India, West

Source: The post is based on articles

“Xi Jinping skipping G-20 Summit a deliberate signal to India, West” published in The Hindu on 6^th September 2023 and

“No middle ground – Xi’s decision is a lose-lose” published in Business Standard on 6^th September 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – International Relations – Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Relevance: concerns with Chinese President skipping the G20 summit

News: Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping has decided to skip the G20 Summit in Delhi for the first time. Instead, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the second-ranked leader, will attend the Summit, which is a departure from the usual protocol.

China has also not officially provided any specific reason for this.

What may be the probable reasons behind Chinese President skipping the G20 summit?

Tensions with India: China is unhappy with the current status of its bilateral relations with India, specifically India’s position that achieving normalcy in broader relations requires resolving the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

China’s decision to skip the summit might be linked to the 2020 border clashes and the ongoing border dispute. The release of a new map by China recently further escalated tensions.

Additionally, China may not want to see India’s G20 presidency succeed, given India’s growing international influence, both strategically and economically.

Domination of the West: China’s decision to skip the G-20 Summit shows its preference for forums like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), where it has more influence.

However, this strategy faces challenges, as BRICS is already diverse, and it hasn’t achieved significant results since its formation.

Skipping the summit might also be aimed at reducing the G20’s influence, which China sees as Western-dominated and less appealing. The absence of the Russian President at the G-20 could also put China under more scrutiny.

Another possible reason for Xi’s absence could be to avoid addressing Western leaders’ questions regarding China’s support for Russia.

Politicization: China is unhappy with the politicization of the G-20. It believes that the G-20 should focus solely on economic matters and not get involved in political issues like the conflict in Ukraine.

What may be the consequences of China’s decision?

China’s absence at the G20 summit reduces its significance. India’s presidency at G20 has held discussions on issues like reforming multilateral development banks and addressing debt sustainability in low- and middle-income countries.

China’s cooperation in this regard was critical, as it considers its loans to low-income nations commercial.

Skipping G20 summit could also harm China’s global standing and image as an emerging superpower, making it less predictable and reliable on the global stage.

What is the way ahead?

India will need to engage with China beyond the G20 and accept that diplomatic relations are unlikely to improve soon.

Economic risks due to dependence on Chinese imports remain, so India should carefully handle military and diplomatic issues while decreasing reliance on Chinese imports.