Xi’s decision means the summit will lack the leaders of the world’s two largest economies and fellow member Russia

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not join the Group of 20 summit next week, a move that will be a blow to host South Africa that’s already facing a boycott by US President Donald Trump.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday that Premier Li Qiang would represent the Asian nation at the leaders’ summit, which kicks off in Johannesburg on Nov. 22. The statement didn’t explain why Xi, who attended the event last year, will be absent this time.

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Xi’s decision means the summit, created to address geopolitical and economic issues and typically attended by heads of state, will lack the leaders of the world’s two largest economies and fellow memb

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