China's Premier Li Qiang To Attend G20 Summit In India, Says Chinese Foreign Ministry

Earlier it was reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be attending the G20 Summit and now the country's foreign ministry has confirmed that its Premier Li Qiang will attend the meet.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

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G20 Summit India: China on Monday confirmed that its Premier Li Qiang will attend the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi this week. An official release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that Li will attend the summit on September 9-10. This comes days after reports said that Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend the G20 Summit in India. 

"At the invitation of the government of the Republic of India, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang will attend the 18th G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi, India on September 9 and 10," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said.

The development comes amid the controversy around China's recently released official map that staked claim to Indian territories. The map showed Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Chinese territory. After India objected to the map, China issued a statement, saying, "On August 28, the Ministry of Natural Resources of China released the 2023 version of the standard map. This is a routine practice of China in exercising its sovereignty in accordance with the law."

China also asked, "relevant parties to take an objective and calm view and not over-interpret it". Notably, before the row over the map,  both PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were seen sharing the stage at the BRICS Summit in South Africa last month.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden on Sunday expressed his disappointment over the reports of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping’s plans to skip the G20 summit.

"I am disappointed, but I am going to get to see him," Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware when asked about indications Xi will not join the leaders' summit, as quoted by Bloomberg.

It becomes important to mention here that Russian President Vladimir Putin will also not be attending the meet and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Moscow at the summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday where the latter expressed his regret over his inability to attend the upcoming G20 Summit, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stated. Putin informed Prime Minister Modi that Russia would be represented by its Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.