Tag: Xi Jinping

G20 Summit 2023 | China questions why US should get first shot at presidency again

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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China has raised objections to the US hosting the Group of 20 nations in 2026 as already announced by President Joe Biden’s administration, according to four people familiar with the discussions.

G20 members rotate their presidency of the group, including the annual summit of world leaders, and the US has said it will take it on after India, Brazil and South Africa complete their respective yearlong stints.

China’s objection — backed by Russia, according to one of the people — is mostly symbolic as it’s unlikely the decision will be reversed. The people asked not to be named since the discussions on the sidelines of the current G20 in India are private.

The Chinese move was first reported by the Financial Times.

Beijing asked that its displeasure be recorded, according to the people, who didn’t know the reasons for China’s objections. However, by the end of 2025, all members will have hosted at least one summit and the point reached where the rotation begins again. The US hosted the first G20 in Washington in 2008.

Attempts to upset that convention reflect China’s standoff with the US over issues from Taiwan to technology export controls. Neither Chinese leader Xi Jinping nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending the G20 in New Delhi.

The G20 is divided into regional sub-groups, whose members decide who will host the summit. The US is in a group with Canada, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi earlier on Saturday, US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer pointed out that India, Brazil and South Africa — “the three democratic members of the BRICS” group that also includes China and Russia — are the current and next two chairs of the G20.

“They are committed to the G-20 success, and so is the United States. We will host after those three,” Finer said. “And if China is not, that’s unfortunate for everyone, but much more unfortunate, we believe, for China.”

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G20 summit 2023: It is for China to explain Xi Jinping’s absence, says US official

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Only China can explain the reason for the absence of President Xi Jinping from the annual G20 summit in New Delhi this weekend, a US official said on Saturday.

The summit had been seen as affording a venue for a possible meeting between Xi and US President Joe Biden following months of efforts by the two world powers to mend ties frayed by trade and geopolitical tensions.

“It’s incumbent upon the Chinese government to explain” why its leader “would or would not — participate”, Jon Finer, the US deputy national security adviser, told reporters in New Delhi.

Although the United States was often called upon to explain the actions of the Chinese government, that was not its role, he said, adding that it was “unfortunate” if China was not committed to the success of the bloc.

“Some have speculated China’s absence indicates that it is giving up on the G20, building an alternative world order, that it will privilege groupings like the BRICS,” Finer said.

Premier Li Qiang is leading China’s delegation in the Indian capital. Also absent from the summit is President Vladimir Putin of Russia, which is being represented instead by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Biden arrived on Friday for the summit.

Last Sunday, reacting to news that Xi would not attend the G20 summit, Biden said he was “disappointed” but would “get to see him”.

India, the chair of the summit, along with the next two, Brazil and South Africa, as well as the United States, were committed to its success, Finer added.

“If China does not, that’s unfortunate for everyone,” he added. “But much more unfortunate, we believe, for China.”

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Joe Biden ‘disappointed’ If Xi Jinping plans to skip G20 Summit in India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Joe Biden said he was disappointed about reports his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, plans to skip the G-20 summit in New Delhi this week.
“I am disappointed, but I am going to get to see him,” Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Sunday when asked about indications Xi will not join the leaders’ summit.

Biden didn’t say where he might next meet with the Chinese president. If Xi doesn’t travel to Delhi, he and Biden may have an opportunity to meet in November, when the US hosts the APEC conference in San Francisco.

Xi is not planning to travel to the Indian capital for the summit, according to officials familiar with preparations for the meeting who requested anonymity to speak about the planning. The decision comes amid mounting tensions between China and India and is likely to further chill their relations.

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the summit in Xi’s place, according to a person familiar, while another said it would be another yet-to-be-named government official.

Biden and Xi last spoke on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November, but any progress was derailed when an alleged Chinese spy balloon crossed the US.

The two countries have fundamental disagreements over a range of issues from Taiwan, fueled in part by US lawmakers visiting the island and a trip by Taiwan’s president to the US, to Biden’s export bans on semiconductor technology, reports about Chinese surveillance from Cuba, and the balloon incident.

A number of high-level Biden administration officials have traveled to China in recent months, seeking to improve ties, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, climate envoy John Kerry, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

The US had expectations that the G-20 meet in India could be the next step to thaw the relationship with China.

Biden said last week he “hopes” that Xi would attend the summit.

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Joe Biden hopes Xi Jinping attends G20 Summit in India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Joe Biden on Thursday hoped that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping would attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Biden, along with more than two dozen world leaders, is scheduled to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi next week that is being hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Recent media reports said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not likely to attend the summit.

“The answer is I hope he attends the G20 Summit,” Biden told reporters Thursday when asked if he is expecting President Xi to attend the meet. Meanwhile, Farwa Aamer, Director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI),” said that President Xi’s skipping of the G20 Summit in India could be seen as evidence that China at this point of time is reluctant to cede the centre stage to India.

“Perhaps the most significant development so far, which some may say was expected, has been President Xi’s decision to skip the upcoming G20 Summit hosted by India. This move carries multifaceted implications,” Aamer said.

“Firstly, it can be inferred that China is reluctant to cede the centre stage to India, particularly within the region and the broader neighbourhood. This underscores China’s intention to maintain its dominant role and influence, directly impacting the delicate balance of power in the region,” Aamer said.

Secondly, President Xi’s absence serves as a reminder that achieving de-escalation at the border will require sustained and intricate diplomatic efforts. “The negotiation process will be protracted, intertwined with the broader geopolitical landscape of the Himalayan region and China’s strategic competition with the United States,” she said. “The absence of high-profile summits such as the G20 from President Xi’s schedule highlights the intricate layers of negotiations and the imperative of ensuring that domestic audiences are aligned with the diplomatic path forward,” she said.

“Looking ahead, it is evident that Sino-India relations are navigating complex terrain. The border issues are deeply intertwined with historical disputes, national pride, and strategic interests. As both nations vie for influence on the global stage, their interactions will be influenced by not only regional dynamics but also the overarching framework of great power competition between China and the United States, Aamer said. As for the G20 Summit, the eventual outcome will serve as a barometer of the extent to which geopolitical tensions and strategic competition are impacting global economic cooperation and multilateral diplomacy,” she said.

Since the Galwan clashes of 2020, Sino-India relations have been marked by escalating tensions and unresolved border issues, she said, adding that despite multiple rounds of diplomatic discussions and the recent meeting of corps commanders, a clear and easy resolution to the border disputes remains elusive.

Prime Minister Modi’s repeated statements that the trajectory of Sino-India relations hinges on the situation along the border highlight the significance of this issue. As it stands, the prospects of a swift settlement seem remote, at least in the near future, Aamer said.

“The bilateral dynamics were enigmatic, with hints of a potential meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi during the BRICS Summit. However, the actual interaction was limited to a brief exchange, reflecting the deep-seated complexities at play,” she said.

China’s subsequent release of a new map, asserting its sovereignty over the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai Chin plateau, further exacerbated tensions.

“India’s strong protest, including Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s labelling of China’s claim as ‘absurd,’ underscored the gravity of the situation. On its part, China employed a familiar strategy, urging all parties to remain objective and avoid over-interpreting the issue,” Aamer said.

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PM Modi & Xi Jinping interact on the sidelines of BRICS Summit, discuss India-China relations, border concerns

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke about India-China relations as well as about the LAC border concerns, on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in South Africa.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said this at a media briefing on Thursday, while sharing details of a conversation between the two leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS summit as well as Modi’s overall engagements in Johannesburg.

The foreign secretary said Modi and Xi agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at “expeditious disengagement and de-escalation”. It is learnt that Modi-Xi conversation took place on Wednesday.

Sources told news agency ANI that there was a pending request from the Chinese side for a bilateral meeting. The two leaders, however, had an informal conversation in the Leaders Lounge during the Summit.

“On the sidelines of the BRICS summit, the prime minister had interactions with other BRICS leaders. In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, the prime minister highlighted India’s concerns on unresolved issues along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas,” Kwatra said.

“The prime minister underlined that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China relationship,” he said.

“In this regard, two leaders agreed to direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and deescalation,” Kwatra added.

The three-day summit witnessed the attendance of PM Modi and his other counterparts from the bloc.

“Xi stressed that improving India-China relations served the common interests of the two countries and its people and is also conducive to peace, stability and development of the region and the world. The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border region,” said Hua Chunying, Spokesperson, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

With PTI inputs

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Chinese President Xi Jinping advocates political and security cooperation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for accelerating the expansion of the BRICS grouping besides efforts to jointly fend off risks by increasing the political and security cooperation among the countries of the five-nation bloc.

Xi, who skipped his attendance at the BRICS Business Forum on Tuesday sparking speculation about his absence, attended the Summit here on Wednesday where he pitched for more political and security cooperation among the member countries.

He was the only leader absent from the BRICS Business Forum on Tuesday, with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reading a speech in his place that had a hardline message apparently aimed at the US.

Asked why Xi had not attended the forum, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin sidestepped the question, telling reporters in Beijing on Wednesday that Xi’s speech had been delivered.

While his speech at the Business Forum hit out at the US saying that “some country, obsessed with maintaining its hegemony, has gone out of its way to cripple the emerging and developing countries”, he said in his speech at the summit that “the Cold War mentality is still haunting our world, and the geopolitical situation is getting tense.”

He said development should not be a privilege reserved for a few but a right for all countries, and he supported the inclusion of more nations in BRICS.

“I am glad to see the growing enthusiasm of developing countries about participating in BRICS cooperation. And quite a number of them have applied to join … we need to accelerate the BRICS expansion process to bring more countries into the BRICS family,” Xi said, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.

The BRICS countries should keep to the direction of peaceful development, and consolidate the BRICS strategic partnership, Xi said, adding that members should make good use of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the Meeting of High Representatives on National Security and other mechanisms, support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, and enhance coordination on major international and regional issues.

“We need to tender good offices on hotspot issues, pushing for political settlement and lowering the temperature,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Noting that artificial intelligence (AI) is a new area of development, which not only can bring huge development dividends but also contains risks and challenges, Xi said the BRICS countries have agreed to launch the AI Study Group at an early date.

“We need to enable the study group to play its full role, further expand cooperation on AI, and step up information exchanges and technological cooperation,” he said.

The BRICS members should also jointly fend off risks, promote the establishment of an international mechanism for universal participation, and develop AI governance frameworks and standards with broad-based consensus, so as to continuously make AI technologies more secure, reliable, controllable and equitable, he added.

He also called for efforts to deepen business and financial cooperation among BRICS countries to boost economic growth.

Xi said the world economic recovery remains shaky, and challenges for developing countries are even more formidable, hampering their efforts to realize the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Development is an inalienable right of all countries, not a privilege reserved for a few,” Xi said.

He called on BRICS countries to be fellow companions on the journey of development and revitalisation and oppose decoupling and supply chain disruption as well as economic coercion.

BRICS countries should focus on practical cooperation, particularly in such fields as digital economy, green development, and supply chain, and bolster economic, trade and financial exchanges, Xi said.

He added that China will set up a China-BRICS Science and Innovation Incubation Park for the New Era to support the deployment of innovation results.

The BRICS bloc – comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – brings together five of the largest developing countries of the world, representing 41 per cent of the global population, 24 per cent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global trade.

Over 20 heads of state from Africa and the Middle East have also been invited to attend the summit. A number of them have applied to become members of BRICS, which is one of the matters on the agenda for the Summit.

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PM Modi-Xi Jinping’s brief interaction at BRICS Summit | WATCH

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a brief interaction at the 15th BRICS summit in South Africa’s Johannesburg on Thursday. A video shared by news agency ANI showed the two leaders having a quick conversation as they proceeded to take their designated seats at the summit. According to the report, they even shook hands after issuing a joint statement at the BRICS summit.

#WATCH | PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping engage in a brief interaction at the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg pic.twitter.com/1yE3jstVfx

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2023

Tensions between India and China continue as the two sides engage in solving the border issues. The two countries have been in a stand-off situation for the last three years and relations at all levels have deteriorated due to tensions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two sides have held 19 rounds of talks so far to address the boundary issues in eastern Ladakh since 2020, post the Chinese aggression there.

Therefore, the interaction between PM Modi and Xi Jinping holds significance in the backdrop of the tense India-China ties.

PM Modi arrived in South Africa for the 15th BRICS Summit on Tuesday. The opening day of the summit in Johannesburg saw the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue which PM Modi addressed but Xi Jinping skipped the event, sending his commerce minister Wang Wentao to represent him.

Speaking at the Summit, PM Modi said, “India has always supported the expansion of BRICS. India has always believed that adding new members will strengthen BRICS as an organisation,” he said. He added, “India has given high importance to relations with Africa. We have opened 16 new missions in Africa. Today, India is Africa’s fourth largest trade partner and the fifth largest investor…”

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BRICS Summit: PM Modi calls for ‘future-ready’ alliance, supports expansion

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The second day of the BRICS Summit being held in Johannesburg began with a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Leaders of the BRICS nations —
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — took a “family photo” and made welcome remarks at the open plenary session.

For LIVE updates on the BRICS Summit, check here.

During his speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that in order to ensure a “future-ready” BRICS, the societies of the five-member countries must also be prepared for the future.

“To make BRICS a future-ready, we will need to make our respective societies ready for the future, and technology will play an important role,” Modi said.

My remarks at Plenary Session I of BRICS Summit in Johannesburg. https://t.co/JqJPCv045R

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 23, 2023

Modi welcomed the emphasis placed on the Global South nations during South Africa’s presidency of BRICS, emphasising India’s own prioritisation of Global South countries during its G20 presidency.

#WATCH | We welcome the move to give special importance to the countries of the global south in BRICS under the chairmanship of South Africa. India has also given importance to this subject under its G20 presidency: PM Modi at the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit in… pic.twitter.com/tf6Op43Ut5

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Speaking at the annual summit of BRICS leaders, which includes Chinese President Xi Jinping, Modi expressed optimism about the approval of India’s proposal to grant the African Union a permanent seat in the G20, supported by fellow BRICS nations.

He also expressed India’s backing for the expansion of the BRICS alliance through consensus.

#WATCH | India fully supports the expansion of BRICS, we welcome moving forward with consensus on this: PM Modi at the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit pic.twitter.com/37CB4H3U0l

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

The Prime Minister also noted that India has put forward initiatives in sectors like railway research networks, cooperation among micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), as well as start-ups. Notably, substantial progress has been achieved in these fields, Modi said.

VIDEO | “To give a new path to the BRICS agenda, India had put forth suggestions on issues such as railway research network, close cooperation between MSMEs, online BRICS database and startup firms. I am happy that a lot of progress was made on these issues,” says PM Modi at… pic.twitter.com/Nl9UGxLZrD

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023

Modi also noted that work on the BRICS satellite constellation has already begun, but urged the formation of a BRICS space exploration consortium to move a step further.

VIDEO | “We are already working on the BRICS satellite constellation, but to move a step further, we should think about establishing a BRICS space exploration consortium,” says PM Modi at Plenary Session I of BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. pic.twitter.com/mXu5WwgXeL

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023

Chinese President Xi Jinping also spoke at the session, pledging his nation’s support to all parties in order to establish the BRICS framework on industrial cooperation for sustainable development.

Xi also noted that the “Cold War mentality” across the world is still haunting geopoliticals.

“We should respect all modernisation paths that each country chooses on its own and oppose ideological rivalry, systemic confrontation and clash of civilisations,” the Chinese leader added.

#WATCH | Chinese President Xi Jinping at the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit

“We should expand political and security cooperation to uphold peace & tranquillity. The Cold War mentality is still haunting our world and the geo-political situation is getting tense.… pic.twitter.com/1YRLw4jsUU

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who did not physically attend the BRICS summit, took part in the open plenary session via video conferencing. In his remarks, he acknowledged that Russia would be the chair next year and that the 2024 BRICS Summit has been scheduled for October in Kazan.

#WATCH | Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit, via video conferencing

“Next year Russia will assume the BRICS chair. In our chairmanship, we will have the following mottos- strengthening multilateralism for global… pic.twitter.com/cFYcsDpB55

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

#WATCH | Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit, via video conferencing pic.twitter.com/zNaFaOgIao

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Ramaphosa, in his remarks, touched upon the Russia-Ukraine war, committing that the BRICS countries will “continue to be supportive of bringing this conflict to an end through dialogue, mediation and negotiation.”

#WATCH | South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the Russia-Ukraine conflict at the open plenary session of the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg

“BRICS countries will continue to be supportive of bringing this conflict to an end through dialogue, mediation and negotiation” pic.twitter.com/htBdgX5d2b

— ANI (@ANI) August 23, 2023

Ahead of the remarks, attendees got to witness a candid moment when PM Modi bent to pick up an Indian Tricolour that had fallen on the ground. The Prime Minister noticed the tiranga on the ground during the BRICS group photo, made sure not to step on it, picked it up and kept it in his pocket.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa followed suit.

VIDEO | During the group photo at BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, PM Modi noticed the Indian Tricolour on the ground, which was kept to denote standing position of leaders. PM Modi immediately picked the national flag and kept it with him. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa,… pic.twitter.com/9lDMUhD8hs

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 23, 2023

On Tuesday, August 22, Modi participated in the BRICS Business Forum Leaders’ Dialogue, during which he asserted that India was capable of being the “growth engine” of the world and that its economy would soon reach the $5 trillion mark.

With agency inputs.

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BRICS Summit highlights | BRICS bank signs loan agreement for Lesotho water project

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and attended the open plenary session. Ahead of the session, the BRICS nation leaders posed for a family photo. The summit is being held in South Africa from August 22-24 in Johannesburg. Follow highlights here, on the BRICS Summit here:

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Xi Jinping faces more tough choices after surprise China rate cut

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has resisted pulling the trigger on a major stimulus to revive the world’s second-biggest economy. The grim market reaction to a surprise rate cut shows investors want to see him take much bolder steps.

The People’s Bank of China on Tuesday lowered the rate on its one-year loans — or medium-term lending facility — by 15 basis points to 2.5 percent, the steepest cut in three years. The move came shortly before the release of July data that showed weak consumer spending growth, sliding investment and rising unemployment.

Zooming out, the economic picture looks even worse. Bank loans plunged to a 14-year low last month, while deflation is setting in and exports are contracting. One of China’s largest property developers is at risk of default and a financial conglomerate with 1 trillion yuan ($138 billion) under management missed payments on investment products, stoking fears about possible contagion.

Several banks downgraded their annual growth estimates for China in the wake of the disappointing data. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s team lowered its full-year forecast for 2023 to a 4.8 percent, while Barclays Plc. cut its growth estimate to 4.5 percent — both below China’s official target of around 5 percent expansion.

All of that is adding pressure on Xi to do more in two areas he has sought to avoid: Helping out the heavily indebted property sector and giving consumers more cash to spend — something a central bank adviser in China this week called “the most urgent goal.”

The failure to revive confidence more broadly risks leading to economic pain that could blow back on Communist Party leaders. Last year saw a wave of mortgage boycotts and unprecedented protests against Xi himself as residents got fed up with the world’s strictest Covid-19 restrictions.

Chinese authorities remain sensitive about the narrative over the economy, instructing analysts to avoid discussing deflation and restricting access to key data. China on Tuesday suspended publishing data on its soaring youth unemployment rate to iron out complexities in the numbers, fanning fears about transparency.

“The declining economy dramatically increases the risk of unrest,” said Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official and businessman in China who is now a senior fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. “The Communist Party should be circling the wagons.”

The struggles facing China are also bad news for the world. Stocks and bonds declined as concern grew that the global economy will suffer without a sustained recovery in China, which the International Monetary Fund has previously projected would be the top contributor to global growth through 2028.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this week said China’s slowdown was a “risk factor” for the American economy. Weaker imports of major commodities also threatens producers from Australia to Brazil, while softer demand for electronics will impact trade-dependent economies like South Korea and Taiwan.

The CSI 300 Index, a benchmark of onshore China stocks, ended 0.2 percent lower even after Bloomberg reported that Chinese authorities may cut the stamp duty on stock trades for the first time since 2008 — news that helped boost sentiment after the rate cut and weak Chinese data failed to impress investors.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow