China will be represented at the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa by Premier Li Qiang, as President Xi Jinping will not attend. This was confirmed by China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The summit, which brings together the world’s largest economies, is set to start on November 21 in Johannesburg.
Xi is one of several world leaders skipping the event. Alongside him, U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Argentine President Javier Milei will also be absent. Trump announced his boycott in protest of the ongoing attacks against Afrikaners in South Africa. Putin will not attend due to an outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant linked to the conflict in Ukraine. The reasons behind Mexico’s and Argentina’s leaders’ absences remain unclear.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not explain Xi’s absence but sent well wishes to South Africa as the host. Spokesman Lin Jian said that the G20 must focus on global solidarity and cooperation to tackle economic challenges and promote growth and development. Lin also noted South Africa’s importance as the first African country to host the summit and expressed China’s support for its presidency.
Some South African media seeing the event in a positive light have suggested that Li Qiang’s presence could signal a change in Chinese leadership. An anonymous South African official claimed that Li might be the next leader after Xi, although this claim remains unverified and overlooks the political unpredictability within China’s ruling ranks. The official also did not address the possibility that Xi could remove Li from power, as has happened with other high-profile officials. The mysterious death of the previous Premier, Li Keqiang, in 2023 sparked rumors of internal strife, and critics of the official narrative have been reportedly silenced.
South Africa has not commented publicly on Xi’s absence but reacted strongly to Trump’s boycott. Trump refused to send any U.S. representatives, citing what he called human rights abuses against Afrikaners, including killings and farm seizures. The South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation dismissed these claims as untrue, arguing that the Afrikaner community does not face persecution.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said he expects to symbolically hand over the G20 presidency to an empty chair representing the absent U.S. in 2026, when Miami will host the next summit. He expressed disappointment but maintained a diplomatic tone, saying he hopes to still engage with President Trump despite the boycott.
The G20 group includes 19 countries—the world’s largest economies—and the European and African Unions. This year’s summit in Johannesburg will be closely watched as it reflects rising geopolitical tensions and global challenges against a backdrop of significant leader absences.
