Xi Jinping to miss upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil for first time

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, marking his first absence from the annual meeting of the world’s major emerging economies.

Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the summit, continuing the pattern established at the 2023 G20 summit in India, where Li also led the Chinese delegation in Xi’s place, Caliber.Az reports, citing Chinese media.

He is expected to arrive in Brazil late next week and remain in Rio for the summit, scheduled for July 6–7.

Beijing has informed Brazilian officials that Xi's absence is due to a scheduling conflict. Sources familiar with the summit’s preparations suggested that Xi has already met Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva twice in the past year — once during a state visit to Brasília in November 2023, and again at the China-CELAC forum in Beijing in May — possibly influencing his decision.

Since becoming China's top leader, Xi has regularly participated in BRICS summits, including virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. He joined online for the Russia-hosted summit in 2020 and for the 2021 summit hosted by China. In 2023, although he was expected to deliver remarks at the summit in South Africa, he unexpectedly sent Commerce Minister Wang Wentao to attend in his place, with no public explanation.

Brazil’s foreign ministry declined to comment on what it described as “internal deliberations of foreign delegations.” Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told journalists that official information on China’s participation would be released “at the appropriate time.” Guo affirmed that China supports Brazil’s BRICS presidency and is committed to advancing cooperation among the bloc’s members.

“In a volatile and turbulent world, BRICS nations maintain their strategic resolve and work together for global peace, stability and development,” Guo stated.

In Brasília, officials reportedly expressed disappointment at Xi’s decision. A source told the media that Lula’s May visit to Beijing was a diplomatic gesture intended to encourage Xi to attend the summit in return.

There has also been speculation that Xi’s decision might have been influenced by Lula’s decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a state dinner following the summit, possibly leaving Xi feeling sidelined.

Uncertainty over Xi’s participation has been circulating since February, when Lula’s special adviser for international affairs, Celso Amorim, raised the issue during a visit to Beijing. Amorim discussed the matter with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, urging Xi’s attendance.

“I told them, ‘BRICS without China is not BRICS,’” Amorim recalled. He pointed out that former Chinese President Hu Jintao had travelled to Brazil for the inaugural BRICS summit in 2009 despite a devastating earthquake at home. “He only stayed one day, but he came.”

Amorim underscored the symbolic importance of Xi’s participation, especially in today’s global climate. “It’s especially important now,” he said, citing the United States’ past withdrawals from international agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organisation.

By Tamilla Hasanova