With a diplomatic blitz at the start of his third term, President Xi Jinping enhanced his standing as a world statesman. He will now likely skip the most important summit of world leaders, albeit it’s unclear why.
Xi’s decision to skip the Group of 20 meeting in India may be related to diplomatic tensions with India. Or he wants to support the BRICS forum, which has recently grown.
Given that one of the biggest property developers in the country is on the verge of defaulting. He might prefer to stay at home to deal with China’s economic problems.
With a diplomatic blitz at the start of his third term, President Xi Jinping enhanced his standing as a world statesman.
He will now likely skip the most important summit of world leaders, albeit it’s unclear why.
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Xi’s decision to skip the Group of 20 meeting in India may be related to diplomatic tensions with India. Or he wants to support the BRICS forum, which has recently grown.
Given that one of the biggest property developers in the country is on the verge of defaulting, He might prefer to stay at home to deal with China’s economic problems.
Whatever the cause, Xi’s operations would significantly change if he were to leave.
Since coming to power in 2012, the Chinese leader has participated in every G-20 summit. Since breaking out of three years of Covid isolation at last year’s summit in Bali, Indonesia.
He has also worked to improve his reputation as a mediator. Xi emphasized the value of communication at the time, telling US President Joe Biden that it was a statesman’s duty to “get along with other countries.”
On Sunday, Biden expressed his “disappointment” over rumors that Xi intended to skip the G-20.
The Chinese leader’s recent travel to South Africa for a BRICS conference, which also included India, would make his absence from the G-20 even more egregious.
It would be clear the limits of that bloc’s ability.
To speak with a cohesive voice or act as a viable alternative to US-led groupings if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s big moment was undermined so soon after.
The Belt and Road Forum in Beijing this October, which Russian President Vladimir Putin — who is also skipping the G-20 has stated he will attend would be his next significant international event.
According to Alfred Wu, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Affairs at the National University of Singapore.
Xi is now in a “emperor mindset” and anticipates dignitaries flocking to him. Since China eased COVID regulations, leaders from Germany and France. As well as four top lieutenants in the Biden administration, have all visited Beijing.
Wu continued, “Xi enjoys a very high standing when he hosts foreign visitors at home. At the BRICS summit, he also received preferential treatment. He won’t likely receive that G-20, though.
After winning a once-every-five-year leadership convention Erodes Image as Global Statesman and surpassing Mao Zedong as China’s most powerful leader, Xi launched a frenzied drive in November to boost Beijing’s stature on the international scene.
That was demonstrated by his first face-to-face meeting with Biden, which served to temporarily ease tensions.
On Taiwan, export restrictions on cutting-edge technology, and a number of human rights concerns.
Then, in March, Xi mediated a significant agreement. Between Saudi Arabia and Iran and came to Moscow to reaffirm his status as Putin’s most important ally.
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A short while later, the Chinese leader met with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. For the first time since Russia invaded the country. Further solidifying his position as one of only a select few people on earth who can speak to both leaders involved in the conflict.
Although Xi drastically reduced his international travel following Erodes Image as Global Statesman that initial flurry of diplomacy. The Chinese president has only traveled abroad twice. This year, as opposed to an average of 14 travels abroad each year before the pandemic.
Because of his unwillingness to seize the opportunity presented by India. Xi would miss the opportunity to meet in person with the leaders of friendly G-20 nations like Argentina and Saudi Arabia.
While the Asian superpowers spar over Tokyo’s release of treated nuclear wastewater. The meeting would also have placed him in Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s sphere of influence.
According to Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon officer and senior fellow. At the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Affairs in Singapore.
Xi is intent on strengthening China’s rising power in trustworthy groupings. China “seeks to dominate a collection of smaller.
Less developed governments like BRICS or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization where Beijing can set the agenda,” the official continued.
Unpredictable Actions
The lack of transparency in Asia’s second-largest economy Erodes Image as Global Statesman would also be highlighted by Xi’s choice to decline the G-20 invitation.
After just seven months in the position. Mao unexpectedly and without cause removed Qin Gang, the foreign minister he had personally chosen.
Xi abruptly canceled a speech he was slated to give at the BRICS Economic Forum last month. Despite other leaders from the group speaking at the event.
Instead, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao welcomed the attendees on stage and read the speech. State-run media in China said that Xi gave the address.
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