Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin will be conspicuously absent as leaders of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies gather in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday.
The countries are expected to deliberate on pressing global issues including trade tensions, conflicts in the Middle East, climate change, and artificial intelligence.
Xi’s absence, the first in his 12 years as president, is widely seen as a setback to the political weight of the summit.
Analysts say the Chinese leader may be seeking to avoid diplomatic friction with the United States after recent talks to ease trade tensions.
Others suggest internal geopolitical calculations, such as avoiding being overshadowed by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is being hosted with full honours in Brazil.
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Author: Marty Kaufmann
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