Chinese President Xi Jinping's Absence From G20 Summit Disappoints Biden

US President Joe Biden expressed his "disappointment" regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping's decision to skip the upcoming G20 summit in India. Instead, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to represent China at the summit in New Delhi this week, as reported by Reuters.

"I am disappointed... but I am going to get to see him," President Biden told reporters on Sunday, although he did not specify when this meeting might occur. The last time the two leaders met was at the summit in Indonesia last year.

Initially, President Xi had indicated his intention to travel to the Indian capital for the summit. However, China's foreign ministry did not confirm his attendance during a regular press briefing last Thursday, citing news reports that claim President Xi does not plan to attend this year's summit.

This development comes amid escalating tensions between China and India, including a border dispute in the Himalayan region. Just last week, India protested after China released a map asserting territorial claims over the state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin plateau.

There may still be an opportunity for President Xi and President Biden to converse in November during a meeting of leaders from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco.

US-China relations have continued to deteriorate over the past year, with numerous disagreements on issues such as human rights, territorial disputes, and Beijing's increasing dominance in various industries. While the US has sent high-level officials to China in an attempt to improve relations, President Xi has been positioning China as a leader of the developing world and advocating for an alternative to the Washington-led world order, particularly during recent interactions with leaders from the Brics nations.