Is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Absence from the G20 a Sign of a Broader Trend?

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa bestowing the Order of South Arica on Xi Jinping during the recent BRICS summit - only his second foreign trip this year. Image: Phill Magakoe / AFP

Speculation about why President Xi Jinping decided to sit out the G20 summit for the first time since taking power has been rife.

The reason could be anything from skipping awkward meetings with rivals like U.S. President Joe Biden, to denting India’s shine as G20 host, to having to deal with economic woes at home.

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by Cobus van Staden

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