Xi Jinping Will Not Attend G-20 Summit in South Africa, Aligning with Trump and Milei

China’s G20 Summit Representation

On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry announced that Premier Li Qiang will attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, while President Xi Jinping will not be present.

The G20, which includes the globe’s largest economies, is set to kick off on November 21st. With Xi’s absence, he joins a list of leaders who have declined to attend, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Argentina’s President Javier Milei. President Trump has stated his reasons for boycotting are linked to ongoing violence against Afrikaners, whereas Putin’s absence stems from an International Criminal Court warrant related to war crimes in Ukraine. The other leaders have not provided explanations for their decisions.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t clarify the reason for Xi’s absence but expressed hope that South Africa, as a BRICS ally, would effectively host the summit.

Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, pointed out that these are challenging times globally, citing a lack of unity and influential economic governance. He emphasized the need for collaboration to address these issues, mentioning South Africa’s historic role as the first African nation to host the G20.

Some South African media outlets, aligned with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration, interpreted Xi’s absence as a sign of support from Beijing. They speculate that among the changes in leadership, Premier Li might soon take a more central role.

An unnamed South African official suggested the process of transitioning from Xi to Li is underway, indicating a sense of order in the leadership change. However, the official did not address the possibility of Xi purging Li like he has done with other ministers in the past. For context, Li’s predecessor, Li Keqiang, died unexpectedly in October, shortly after facing rumors regarding his loyalty to Xi’s regime.

The South African government has not publicly commented on Xi’s absence. They did react strongly to President Trump’s announcement of a boycott, as he refused to send any officials in light of the alleged human rights violations in the country. The U.S. is also slated to host the next G20 summit in 2026, which complicates matters for South Africa.

Trump criticized the choice of South Africa as the host, highlighting atrocities against the Afrikaner community in a message on his social media. He reiterated that no U.S. representatives would attend until these issues are addressed.

Following Trump’s decision, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation refuted claims of racial violence against Afrikaners, arguing that such assertions are not supported by facts.

Ramaphosa later stated that he anticipated the U.S. would take charge during this summit, suggesting that an empty chair would symbolize Trump’s absence. “I would prefer not to acknowledge an empty chair, but it seems unavoidable,” he noted.