Indonesian President Jokowi: "Xi Jinping and Putin to Attend G20 Summit"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin plan to attend the upcoming G20 summit to be held in Bali, Indonesia, this November. If the two leaders actually participate in the G20 summit, it is expected to be the first face-to-face meeting with Western leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.

On the 19th (local time), President Jokowi stated in an interview with Bloomberg News released that day, "President Xi will attend the G20 summit. President Putin also told me that he will come to the G20 meeting." This is the first official announcement by the Indonesian president, the chair of the G20 summit to be held this November, that the Chinese and Russian leaders will attend the G20 meeting.

President Jokowi said, "As the G20 chair, we have tried to balance relations among major powers," adding, "We have no issues with any country, and each country will have its own approach." He continued, "Competition among major powers is a cause for concern," emphasizing, "What we want is for this region to achieve economic growth based on stability and peace, which is what not only Indonesia but also other Asian countries desire."

If the two leaders actually attend this summit, it will be the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February that Chinese and Russian leaders and Western leaders gather in one place. Earlier, the U.S. government pressured Indonesia by requesting that Russia be excluded from this G20 summit as part of sanctions against Russia, but Indonesia did not accept this.

Neither the Chinese nor Russian governments have yet issued specific comments regarding President Jokowi's remarks. Bloomberg News reported, "The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comments on President Xi's travel plans," and "The Kremlin spokesperson refused to comment, but another official familiar with the situation confirmed that Putin currently plans to attend the meeting in person."

Notably, President Xi has not traveled abroad except to Hong Kong since the spread of COVID-19, so if he attends the G20 summit, it will be his first overseas trip in about two years. The timing also coincides with heightened military tensions between the U.S. and China over the Taiwan Strait following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, raising the possibility of a first face-to-face meeting with President Biden.