Last Updated: September 06, 2023, 09:14 IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington (Image: AP File Photo)
US National Security Advisor discusses China’s role at the G20 Summit amid India-China tensions. China’s absence could impact diplomatic relations
It is up to China to determine its role at the G20 Summit in New Delhi, said US National Security Advisor Sullivan on Tuesday. He said that if Beijing chooses to act as a ‘spoiler,’ that option remains available to them. The top White House official made the remarks during a press briefing on the possible impact of India-China border tensions on the G20 taking place this week in New Delhi.
When asked if the division between the two neighbours will affect cooperation at the G20, Sullivan said, “As far as the question of tensions between India and China affecting the summit: Really, that’s up to China. If China wants to come in and play the role of spoiler, of course, that option is available to them.”
“What I think that the chair, India, will encourage them to do, what we — the United States — and every other member — virtually every other member in the G20 will do is encourage them to come in in a constructive way on climate, on multilateral development bank reform, on debt relief, on technology, and set aside the geopolitical questions and really focus on problem-solving and delivering for the developing countries,” he added.
India is hosting the annual G20 Summit in its national capital on September 9 and 10. But Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the summit and the delegation will be led by second-ranked leader Premier Li Qiang. Chinese foreign ministry announced this decision on Monday as it expressed Beijing’s readiness to work with all parties to make the summit a success.
At the G-20 in New Delhi, Sullivan said President Joe Biden will be clear that Washington expects real progress. The US President will stress that we need all G20 members to be constructive and at the table, he added.
“We’ll also be making progress on other key priorities, from climate to health to digital technology, including commitments, with respect to a more inclusive digital transformation and a responsible path and approach to AI development, he noted. In addition, we’ll spotlight the progress that we’ve been making on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment, or what we call PGI. We’ll have some announcements that we’re excited about,” Sullivan said.
During the press conference, the top White House official also stated that there will be continued focus on how the G20 deals with Russia’s war in Ukraine. He said the reality is that the Ukraine conflict has devastated social and economic consequences, and the poorest countries on the planet are bearing the brunt of it.
“Last but not least, and this is important, you’ll see that the United States will make it clear that we remain committed to the G20, as a critical forum for all of the major economies of the world to come together for global problem-solving, he told reporters.
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