Spotlight on Xi and Biden

The Group of 20 Summit is just a day away and the world’s gaze will fall upon Bali. The bilateral meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden is expected to attract much attention.

AFP/PAUL ELLIS/ARIS MESSINIS/VARIOUS SOURCES/AFP

This combination of pictures created on November 15, 2021 shows US President Joe Biden during the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland on November 2, 2021 and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Athens on November 11, 2019.

NUSA DUA, KOMPAS – Several leaders of the Group of 20 member countries have arrived in Bali. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, as its host, landed at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, on Sunday (13/11/2022) at around 8 p.m.

About an hour later, the United States presidential plane, Air Force One, which carried President Joe Biden, landed as well. Ngurah Rai Airport also welcomed the arrival of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who leads the Russian delegation. President Vladimir Putin has confirmed his absence in Bali.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) president Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser and Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon arrived in Denpasar on Sunday afternoon.

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Previously, in a press conference held last Saturday, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said that as many as 16 state leaders and one regional organization head would be attending the G20 Summit held on November 15-16 in Nusa Dua, Bali.

The three heads of state who will be absent are the President of Brazil, the President of Mexico and the President of Russia.

In this G20 Summit, Luhut said, a total of 12,750 guests would be attending. Apart from the G20 government delegations, business players and non-governmental organizations will also be present.

In the spotlight

Previously, many parties paid close attention to Putin’s planned attendance. Now, this attention is drawn to the planned bilateral meeting between US President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Putin previously garnered the world’s attention after deciding to attack Ukraine on February 24.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

United States President Joe Biden passes the Nusa Dua area in Bali on Sunday (11/13/2022). Delegations from various countries have begun to arrive in Bali to attend the Group of 20 Summit.

The attack has caused relations between the West and Russia to decline and tension has affected the situation within the G20. Several Western leaders gave the intention of boycotting the summit if Putin attended.

However, through intense diplomatic and communication efforts by President Jokowi and all members of the Cabinet, including Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, as well as other groups, tensions appeared to have subsided.

A number of agreements were reached, one of which was the formation of the pandemic fund. They also agreed to participate in efforts to reduce geopolitical tensions between G20 countries.

Putin’s absence can also be seen in a positive perspective. Russia has “provided space” for G20 leaders to dialogue freely. Putin did not want the G20 Summit to lose focus and become a platform for political debate.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

President Joko Widodo held a bilateral meeting with United States President Joe Biden (left) on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Monday (11/14/2022). This bilateral meeting is the first meeting of state leaders at the G20 Summit.

As of now, in a situation deemed “calmer,” the world’s gaze falls upon President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden, who are rumored to hold a meeting in Bali. The US Embassy in Jakarta said it could not yet confirm the bilateral agenda. Until the US presidential plane, Air For Once, lands, every item on the agenda is still subject to change.

Likewise, the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta did not want to report Xi’s arrival schedule nor the schedule of his bilateral meetings. However, according to information that has circulated in the past week, it is certain that Biden and Xi will meet.

The US seeks to discuss four things with China: North Korea’s nuclear missile test, China’s attitude toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s increasing intrusion in the Taiwan Strait and the trade wars and supply chain.

YUE YUEWEI/XINHUA VIA AP

In this photo released by China’s Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks via video link to leaders at the G20 Summit from Beijing, on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. President Xi has been absent from the Group of 20 summit in Rome and global climate talks in Scotland, drawing criticism from U.S. President Joe Biden and questions about China’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This meeting between Biden and Xi will be the first since Biden was sworn in as US president in 2021. They first met while serving as vice presidents of their respective countries in 2011.

The face-to-face meeting is important because the relationship between the US and China and the world’s current situation are complex. “Online discussions are not enough. Face-to-face meetings allow for richer and more meaningful verbal exchanges and gestures rather than just political chats,” said Xiong Zhiyong, a lecturer at the China University of International Relations.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian, told the Global Times that the focus of Xi’s attendance at the G20 Summit was to show solidarity and cooperation for the world’s macro economy.

Beijing emphasizes the importance of inclusive cooperation to ensure free trade and globalization. All are based on the spirit of not interfering with each other, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial solutions. “Today is not the time for geopolitical camps,” he said.

KOMPAS/DEONISIA ARLINTA

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo launches the pandemic fund during Indonesia’s G20 presidency in Nusa Dua, Bali on Sunday (11/13/2022). In his remarks delivered online, Jokowi said the world had to have the financial certainty to deal with future pandemics.

Separate from the dynamics of China-US relations, the G20 Summit still has a large task at hand, namely to produce a joint agreement, or a declaration at least. This will embed all the efforts that have been undertaken by stakeholders—especially in the G20—in the past year.

Lecturer in the international relations study program at Padjadjaran University, Bandung, Teuku Rezasyah said Indonesia under Jokowi’s presidency wants to leave behind a lasting legacy. Carrying on the values of the Non-Aligned Movement, Indonesia will oversee this process to completion. “Diplomats and negotiators will be very careful and avoid dictions that will come off as uncomfortable,” said Rezasyah.

Indonesia, which positions itself as a bridge, according to Rezasyah, will prioritize the principle of cooperation based on respect for and the implementation of international laws. (AP/AFP)

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia