They have demolished slums. They have hung up full-size figures of big monkeys to scare away small monkeys. They have painted walls and they have set up fountains in the roundabouts. Neither poverty nor monkeys will spoil the G20 meeting in New Delhi this weekend. When it comes to big politics, it is more complicated. There are many elephants in India and several of them will be in the room during the meeting. Xi’s absence gives India even greater room to use its role as G20 host to gain global positions. Photo: Reuters Cold and complicated One person who will not be in the room is Xi Jinping. After Xi did not show up when he was supposed to give a speech at the Brics meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa last weekend, he recently announced his absence also for the G20 in New Delhi. Not rudely late, but late enough for China’s leader to leave the world guessing: Doesn’t Xi want to face the world at a time when the economy at home poses major challenges to his leadership? Is it a sign of a China that is increasingly closing itself off from the West and its allies? Where does Xi then want to be seen, and what are his foreign policy priorities? G20 host India didn’t even try to pretend they were disappointed or surprised. The relationship between India and China is icy and extremely complicated. Undramatic and in no way unusual for certain leaders to be absent and send others, is the core of the comment from New Delhi. Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd from left) attended the Brics meeting in Johannesburg but will not attend the G20. Photo: GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AP The big question Xi sends Prime Minister Li Qiang. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not coming either, he is sending Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to India. The big question is whether the G20 meeting will agree on a final declaration. The US and the West demand a strong condemnation of Russia and its war in Ukraine. Russia demands that the final declaration should reflect its view of the causes of the conflict. Without Xi and Putin, a final declaration will have less force, but it may also make it easier to water down and agree on a declaration. For India, it gives room to highlight what have been important issues during their G20 chairmanship: Food security Bigger and better loans to developing countries Regulation of cryptocurrency Perhaps most importantly, Xi’s absence gives India even more room to use the role of G20 host to win global positions. The struggle for global power Not only in relations with the USA and the West. Ahead of the G20 meeting, India and Nigeria announced a collaboration on investments from India of NOK 140 billion in steel, oil and power plants in Nigeria. For neither China nor India, the struggle for global power is about the US and the West alone. Biden travels to the Indian capital with a message that emerging economies need not fear a failure of China’s economy. Armed with cash, the message is that the United States is ready to finance their development. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to appear as a leader who decides. India can hope for a well-conducted meeting and perhaps some small diplomatic breakthroughs. The impression left after the G20 in New Delhi may still be a picture of a world that is even more divided and stuck than after the more promising G20 meeting in Bali last year. Xi’s absence leaves room for both Modi and Biden, but perhaps Xi has already partially given up on the G20. Perhaps he is already focusing more on building a different and more China-friendly economic architecture. In October, Xi will host his own summit, the Belt and Road Summit in Beijing. Little has Xi attached more political prestige to than this gigantic infrastructure project. This year the project is 10 years old. It builds and finances ports, railways, airports and factories that will link the world more closely with China. Putin is coming to this meeting.
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China’s leader Xi Jinping is absent from the G20, leaving the world to guess why – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
