President Biden expressed his disappointment on Sunday regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping’s reported absence at the upcoming G20 summit in India. While in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Biden informed reporters that he was disappointed but did not provide further details. It was previously announced by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on August 22 that Biden would be traveling to New Delhi from September 7-10 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
The last meeting between Biden and Xi took place at the previous G20 summit held in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022. Since then, relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated after a Chinese spy aircraft flew over the United States. In an apparent effort to ease tensions, Biden has sent diplomats and high-ranking officials to China, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Despite Beijing’s objections, Biden has maintained his characterization of Xi as a “dictator,” as seen during a Q&A session with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in June.
During a conversation with reporters outside St. Edmond’s Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, Biden also acknowledged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s announcement that Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov would be dismissed. However, Biden declined to comment further on the matter.
When asked about his goals in India and Vietnam, Biden expressed his desire for closer relations and coordination with both countries, believing it would be beneficial for all parties involved. The White House had previously stated that discussions during the G20 summit would cover various global issues, such as clean energy transition, climate change, mitigating the effects of Putin’s war in Ukraine, and strengthening multilateral development banks to combat poverty.
During his visit to New Delhi, Biden will also commend Prime Minister Modi’s leadership of the G20 and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the forum. Meanwhile, Xi addressed the Global Trade in Services Summit of the China International Fair for Trade in Services via video in Beijing on Saturday. With bilateral relations remaining icy, Xi has decided to skip the G20 summit and will instead be represented by Premier Li Qiang.
Tensions between China and India have escalated due to their border dispute, resulting in a deadly clash in the Ladakh region three years ago. Both sides have stationed a significant number of military personnel along the border. Frictions have also arisen concerning trade and India’s growing ties with the United States. Additionally, both countries have expelled each other’s journalists.
It is worth noting that India recently surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation, leading to increased competition in technology, space exploration, and global trade.
Please note that Danielle Wallace contributed to this report for Fox News Digital, covering politics, crime, and police-related topics. She can be contacted at [email protected] and on Twitter @danimwallace.
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