Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
India is awaiting a written confirmation from China on President Xi Jinping's participation in the G20 Leaders' Summit scheduled here next weekend, Muktesh Pardeshi, Special Secretary for G20, said on Friday.
"We have seen some reports in the newspapers. But we go by written confirmation. And we have not seen (a written confirmation). Unless we see that I am not in a position to say either way," Pardeshi told PTI when asked about reports of Xi skipping the G20 meeting on September 9-10 and deputing Prime Minister Li Qiang for the event.
Pardeshi said the participation of world leaders in summits such as the G20 is usually conveyed through a diplomatic note.
"I think that is awaited...We have received most of the other confirmations," he said on Xi's participation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has already conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that it will not be possible for him to travel to India to participate in the summit.
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are among the G20 leaders who have already confirmed their participation in the summit.
Modi will hand over the baton of the G20 Presidency to Brazilian President Lula on September 10.
Brazil will formally assume the G20 Presidency on December 1.