Biden Off To G-20 Amid Russia, China Absence

U.S. President Joe Biden is embarking on a pivotal journey to the G20 summit in India, scheduled for Thursday, with the goal of bolstering global alliances in a context overshadowed by the notable absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Biden's primary aim at the summit is to demonstrate that Washington is a more reliable partner than Beijing or Moscow when it comes to addressing major transnational challenges, reiterating the G20's significance as a crucial international forum. However, deep-seated disputes concerning Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine and strategies for assisting developing nations in combating climate change are anticipated to impede the attainment of consensus during the two-day gathering in New Delhi. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized the President's commitment to collaborative endeavors with emerging market partners, stating, "That's what we believe the world will see in New Delhi this weekend." Following the G20 summit, President Biden will travel to Vietnam on Sunday to further develop relations with the Communist nation. This visit takes place in a region where both the United States and China are assertively asserting their influence. The 80-year-old President is scheduled to depart from the White House at 4:45 pm (2045 GMT) for the extended journey to India. However, it remains undisclosed how Biden's itinerary would be affected in the event of a positive Covid test, following his wife Jill's mild case earlier in the week. China's Xi Jinping's absence from the G20 meeting occurs amidst heightened trade and geopolitical tensions with the United States and India, with whom China shares a lengthy and disputed border. While President Biden expressed disappointment over not meeting Xi at the G20, this absence presents an opportunity for him to strengthen Washington's influence over its rival. White House officials revealed that Biden would emphasize a plan to increase the lending power of the World Bank and IMF for emerging nations by approximately $200 billion, presenting it as a more attractive alternative to China's "coercive" Belt and Road Initiative. Concurrently, Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to deliver a video address at the G20, as confirmed by the Kremlin, highlighting the strained relations between Moscow and the West, particularly concerning Ukraine. However, the notable absence of Xi and Putin underscores the fractures within the G20 and could undermine President Biden's aspiration to maintain the bloc as the primary forum for global economic cooperation. Sullivan, from the White House, asserted that the United States aims to demonstrate the G20's effectiveness at a time when the BRICS club of emerging economies, including India, traditionally championed by China and Russia, is expanding. While acknowledging occasional differences, Biden is expected to endorse India and its leader Narendra Modi as a counterbalance to China. Sullivan stated that China could choose to "play the role of spoiler," but leaders like Modi will strive to encourage a constructive approach. Following the G20 summit, President Biden will head straight to Hanoi, where he is scheduled to meet with Nguyen Phu Trong, the ruling Vietnamese Communist party chief, with the intention of strengthening bilateral ties. Despite the enduring legacy of the Vietnam War, the two nations have increasingly cooperated, with Biden joining a list of successive U.S. Presidents who have visited Vietnam since Bill Clinton in 2000.