Xi to skip G20 summit

Premier Li Qiang will lead China's delegation to the G20 summit in India this weekend, Beijing said yesterday, all but confirming President Xi Jinping will snub the meeting of the world's biggest economies.

Speculation and media reports have swirled for the past week that Xi would snub the event, but China had remained silent on the issue.

US President Joe Biden has said he would be "disappointed" to see Xi skip the gathering of world leaders in New Delhi.

Beijing's foreign ministry confirmed yesterday that Li would be at the G20 Leaders' Summit on Saturday and Sunday, which it described as an important forum for economic cooperation.

The Group of 20 major economies consists of 19 countries and the EU.