Manoj Kewalramani & Anushka Saxena
China put up quite a show at the recently concluded G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Chinese President Xi Jinping pitched the ‘China model’ for poverty and hunger alleviation to the developing world, arguing that “if China can make it, other developing countries can too.” Further, to back China’s claims of being the most pertinent developmental partner for G20 member states, Xi also launched an ‘Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science’ and joined the ‘Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty’.
But beyond the rhetoric about the country’s leading role in the developing world and its commitment to building a “community for a shared future for mankind,” Beijing sent signals at the Summit that spell causes for concern for those reading between the lines. More specifically, from the Indian perspective, China’s pitch at the G20 seemed competitive, highlighting structural differences between the Indian and Chinese worldviews.
Xi’s Overshadowing Appearance
In the aftermath of the G20 Summit in New Delhi in 2023, there was a lot of speculation that Xi’s absence was a sign that Beijing had downgraded the diplomatic value of the grouping. But Xi’s proactive presence at the 2024 Summit in Brazil indicates otherwise. Xi’s remarks in Rio emphasised varied aspects of the partnership between China and other Global South countries, such as in climate change, zero-tariff trade, open science, and anti-corruption. This makes it clear that the G20 as a platform remains essential to a China that seeks to leverage its position as a major power and cultivate influence within capitals around the world. This also sheds light on the simple fact that Xi’s absence from the Delhi Summit was not a product of a diplomatic downgrading of the platform, but a deliberate choice in light of bilateral ties with India.
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