When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most important global coordination forums. Mark my words, I said, soon The Economist will be like “Uhhh, the G20 is OVER – it’s the ...
Category: Summits
The G20 Summit and the Half-Life of a Joke
When it was announced in 2023 that the African Union would become a full member of the G20, I darkly joked on a podcast that the AU’s entry into the body could very well mark the moment the G20 lost its status as one of the most ...
China at COP30 and the New Politics of Climate Change
With the U.S. absent from two major international summits this month, the G20 in South Africa and the COP30 in Brazil, we got an early look at what the post-American order is starting to look like. In both instances, China moved ...
Europe Meets Africa Amid Rising China Anxieties
About seventy leaders from European Union and African Union member countries met for a summit in Angola on Monday. The summit is partially overshadowed by the rapid developments around a possible U.S.-led deal in Ukraine, where Europe is being sidelined. The Europeans gathered an impromptu internal summit ...
With Washington Absent, China Seizes the Stage at G20 in Johannesburg
Chinese Premier Li Qiang was very busy at this weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg, where he seemed at ease that Donald Trump and the U.S. delegation stayed home, for the most part. There's no doubt that had Trump been there, the ...
Li Focuses on Major Power Diplomacy, Not Global South, in G20 Bilateral Sessions
It's customary during gatherings like the G20 summit that took place in Johannesburg this weekend that Chinese leaders pack the limited time they have for bilateral meetings in a speed-dating style format. Premier Li Qiang, though, broke with that custom during ...
G20 Communiqué Reflects Both China’s Priorities and Growing Concerns Over Mineral Export Controls
Chinese Premier Li Qiang took full advantage of the U.S. absence at this weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg to shape the final communiqué in ways that aligned with Beijing's priorities on multilateralism, debt, and, most notably, critical minerals. Consistent with previous ...
South Africa G20 Declaration Highlights: Minerals, Debt, Climate
By Julie Bourdin Leaders from the G20 group of top economies endorsed Saturday a declaration at a summit in South Africa that highlights issues related to access to critical minerals and measures to cope with climate change.
Xi Can Skip the G20 Without Losing Africa. For Trump, It’s Different.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's predictable decision not to attend this Saturday's G20 summit in Johannesburg is sparking quite a bit of chatter among journalists and other observers that Beijing is somehow dissing South Africa and downgrading the G20 as a whole. ...
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng Meets Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Sidelines of Qatar Summit
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari briefly on Wednesday for a bilateral session on the sidelines of the World Summit for Social Development in Qatar. The two sides exchanged the usual pleasantries, with each side
China’s Shadow Looms Over Trump’s Summit With Central Asian Leaders
U.S. President Donald Trump will host all five Central Asian leaders in Washington on Thursday, marking the first time they have been gathered together. This comes just a few months after they held separate summits with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
U.S. Defense Chief Lauds China Ties, Then Sounds Alarm Over Beijing’s Aggression at ASEAN Meeting
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth conveyed two seemingly contradictory messages on China during his discussions with his Southeast Asian counterparts during the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. On the one hand, Hegseth was downright effusive ...
South Korea Hosts Xi as Chinese Leader Rekindles Fraught Ties
By Claire Lee South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hosted Xi Jinping for their first meeting on Saturday as the Chinese head of state took center stage and reforged old ties at an Asian summit from which U.S. leader Donald Trump ...