Xi to skip Summit amid push for G20 consensus

NEW DELHI: China on Monday confirmed President Xi Jinping will skip the G20 Summit to be hosted by India this weekend as speculation swirled in diplomatic circles about whether the grouping of 20 largest economies would overcome differences standing in the way of a joint leaders' declaration.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Premier Li Qiang will attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi during September 9-10 at the Indian government's invitation, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said without giving reasons for Xi's decision not to travel to India.

Even before the confirmation from the Chinese side, it had become clear Xi would be the second head of State of a G20 member country-after Russian President Vladimir Putin - to skip the Summit being held against the backdrop of deep divisions over the Ukraine conflict.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar sought to play down the issue of leaders of some G20 states skipping the summit by saying the focus should be on the position taken by countries on "key burning issues of the day".

During a discussion on Doordarshan on Monday, he said: "At the end of the day, countries are represented by whoever they have chosen to represent them. The levels of representation do not become the final determinant of the position of a country." Jaishankar said this year's G20 will be remembered "for the outcomes it produced", and the focus should be on solutions and actions to tackle the burning issues of the day and the willingness of countries to address such matters.