Joe Biden Joe Biden feels 'disappointed' as Xi Jinping may skip attending G20 Summit in New Delhi
US President Joe Biden has expressed disappointment that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping may not attend the upcoming G20 Summit in India.
"I am disappointed... but I am going to get to see him," Biden told reporters on Sunday as quoted by BBC.
However, he did not say where they were going to meet.
Last month, the White House confirmed that Biden will travel to New Delhi from Sept 7-10 to attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit.
India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
Biden and Xi Jinping had last met during a summit in Indonesia in 2022.
Xi may skip the G20 meet in New Delhi:
The chances of Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the G20 Summit hosted by India next week are “extremely low” and Beijing is expected to be represented by Premier Li Qiang, people familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.
The development comes at a time when India lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels with Beijing over the issue of the 2023 standard map of China that lays claim to India’s territory.
Also Read: Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam reject China's latest map
In response to media queries, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier said, "India rejects these claims as they have no basis."
Also Read: US President Joe Biden to visit India from Sept 7-10 to attend G20 Leaders’ Summit
"Such steps by the Chinese side only complicate the resolution of the boundary question," the MEA spokesperson said.
India's response came after China on last Monday officially released the 2023 edition of its “standard map” where Arunachal Pradesh, the Aksai Chin region, Taiwan, and the disputed South China Sea were all included within the Chinese territory.
The map was released days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi-Jinping called for a "resolution" of the long-standing border issues between the two nations on the sidelines of the 15th edition of the BRICS Summit in South Africa.
Also Read: India logs strong protest over China's new 'standard map' including Arunachal Pradesh
The two leaders also agreed to intensify efforts at expeditious "disengagement and de-escalation" to restore normal relationships between the two countries.
