China’s Xi, out of COVID bubble, faces changed world at G-20

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Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping first in person meeting on Monday for Taiwan, Russia talks (AP)

 

BEIJING (AP) – After a protracted absence from major international meetings, China’s leader Xi Jinping appear from his country’s COVID-19 bubble and travels abroad next week in a dramatically changing world marked by rising conflict. President Xi Jinping will attend his G20 meeting of developed and emerging nations in Indonesia, followed by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Thailand. During this period, China’s relations with the West deteriorated sharply due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the civil rights crackdown in Hong Kong, military threats to Taiwan, and Beijing’s tacit support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

More broadly, China and the West are moving farther apart. The U.S. and Europe are looking at China more critically, with Germany blocking investment in its companies, while China’s leaders have shown a determination to go their own route.

Bruce Dixon, an expert on Chinese politics at George Washington University, said: “There is growing fear, anxiety and concern that China does not want to partner with other countries.”

Xiong Zhiyong, a professor of international relations at China Diplomacy University, expects China’s leaders to travel abroad more as the pandemic eases around the world. In addition to Biden, during the visit, Xi also met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, French President Emmanuel Macron, Senegal President Macky Sall, and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez. Meet with other leaders. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday he would urge President Xi Jinping to remove billions of dollars in trade barriers if conditions were met favourably.

China has also terminated negotiations with the United States. Following Pelosi’s visit, the United States is discussing a number of issues, including climate, which is key to the ongoing US-discussed efforts for cooperation between the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

Climate negotiations in Egypt to limit the impacts of climate change. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday, “U.S
By working with China to properly resolve differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations, China-U.S. relations are back on the right track of solid and steady development. Xi is making the visit after consolidating his power in China last month at a major rally of the Chinese Communist Party. He won a third five-year term as chairman and the party’s top institutions were crammed with his supporters, signalling the continuation of his approach to foreign and domestic policy.

At his APEC conference in Thailand, Xi plans to address China’s proposals to deepen cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and boost regional and global economic growth, Zhao said. He has also dumped huge debts on poor countries and rebranded his signature Belt and Road Initiative, which has been criticized for potentially giving China control over key ports and other infrastructure in Southeast Asia. Mr Dixon said a meeting between Mr Xi and Mr. Biden at the G20 could help ease tensions.