Did Chinese President Xi Jinping skip BRICS summit to avoid condemning Pahalgam attack?
Chinese President Xi Jinping would not be in attendance at the high-stakes BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The news of Xi’s absence from the bloc’s upcoming meeting comes amid reports that the member nations are expected to sign a declaration condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 innocent people were killed by terrorists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir.
Are the two things connected? Is the Chinese premier skipping the summit in a show of support for his nation’s close ally, Pakistan? Here’s what we know.
BRICS leaders to sign declaration on Pahalgam
As per reports, India has scored a major diplomatic win. This year’s declaration under Brazil’s presidency is expected to include strong references to the Pahalgam terror attack, a move that signals a rare consensus on international terrorism among BRICS nations. Reports suggest that this follows intense negotiations led by India, which has been pressing for a robust anti-terrorism framework within BRICS.
While there’s no confirmation, there’s speculation that China’s close relations with Pakistan might be behind Xi’s absence from the summit that starts today. The reason for Xi’s no-show, as per reports, is to prioritise China’s economic recovery and pre-conclave political reshuffle, which means Beijing would be represented by Premier Li Qiang.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will also skip this year’s summit. As per Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin would skip making an in-person appearance at the upcoming summit in Brazil due to concerns around the standing International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest. As per reports in Putin’s stead, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would attend the BRICS Summit which is scheduled to happen on July 6-7 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. According to Ushakov, Putin won’t completely skip the SCO summit. He will join virtually, as he did in 2023.
Modi, who arrived in Brazil on July 5, is also expected to push forward India’s leadership in the BRICS Startup Forum and promote cross-border innovation and economic cooperation through the BRICS Startup Knowledge Hub – another first under India’s initiative.
BRICS leaders to decry Trump tariffs
AFP reports that the leaders of the BRICS bloc – representing nearly half the world’s population – are also expected to issue a stern warning against US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs at the summit opening. The tariffs have been labelled “indiscriminate”, “illegal,” and a threat to global growth, according to a leaked draft declaration. While the draft statement, seen by AFP, avoids naming the United States or Trump directly, it sharply criticises the “rising unilateral tariff and non-tariff measured that are seen as inconsistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. “We voice serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organization) rules,” reads the draft text as per the report.
