China's Xi Jinping to skip ASEAN & East Asia summits in Jakarta, G20 summit in Delhi

It is almost certain that Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to skip G20 summit in India next week and Premier Li Qiang is set to represent China at conclave, people familiar with development said on Saturday. Russian President Vlimir Putin has alrey conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi his decision to t attend summit in-person as he has to focus on "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Russian president h skipped Bali summit of G20 in vember last year as well. Many leers in past skipped G20 summits for various reasons and it does t reflect anything about host country, people cited above said. In its capacity as current president of G20, India is hosting annual summit of influential grouping in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.

" Chinese President is t travelling to India for G20 Summit," said one of people cited above, ding that Premier Li is likely to represent China at Summit.

President Xi is also skipping ASEAN (Association of Souast Asian Nations) and East Asia summits in Jakarta next week. "re are some media reports that some hes of state may skip G20 Summit in India," person said. "se things do t reflect anything about host country," he ded.

Premier Li is likely to travel to India after attending East Asia summit in Jakarta. In 2021, Chinese President Xi did t travel to Italy to participate in G20 summit due to China's COVID-19 restrictions. re is official word eir from China or from India on who will represent Beijing at upcoming G20 summit.

From 2008, re were 16 physical summits of G20, and one virtual summit (Saudi Arabia, 2020). re were two summits each in 2009 and 2010. Out of se 16 physical summits, except first three summits in 2008 and 2009, re has never been a single occasion from 2010 till w when every country has attended at Hes of State (HOS) or Hes of Government (HOG) level, people cited above said.

" level of attendance at global summits varies from year to year. In today's world with so many demands on leers' time, it is t always possible for every leer to attend every summit," said one of sources. people cited above said re have been six occasions -- 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017 -- in G20 summits when representation was below HOS/HOG-level from any one member country.

re were five occasions when representation was below HOS/HOG-level by two countries, y said. G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of global GDP, over 75 per cent of global tre, and about two-thirds of world population. grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cana, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, UK, US and European Union (EU)