G20 in Bali: West and allies try to limit differences with China
by Li Qiang

The goal is to split Beijing from Moscow by working on the global economic crisis. Australian Prime Minister holds a “constructive” meeting with Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader and France’s Macron oppose the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Beijing is ready to speed up a trade deal with South Korea. Now everyone is waiting for the summit’s final declaration.


Beijing (AsiaNews) – In the wake of yesterday's constructive meeting between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in Bali, Western leaders and US allies appear willing to put aside differences with China at the G20 summit currently underway on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

The goal is to find come convergence with Beijing in order to overcome the current difficult international situation, in which everyone faces a possible recession due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Putin's “special military operation” has driven up energy prices, triggering high inflation and a global food crisis, making the world more unstable and unsafe.

After six years of disagreements over trade, security in the Indo-Pacific region, and human rights, an Australian prime minister met with the Chinese president.

Anthony Albanese said that this morning's meeting with Xi was "positive and constructive," a step forward to stabilise relations between the two countries.

President Xi also met for the first time his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, who expressed hope for a mutually beneficial, mature relationship with China.

According to Central China TV, Xi noted that Beijing was ready to speed up negotiations for the conclusion of a bilateral free trade agreement.

Stability is the buzzword that describes the intense diplomatic activity underway in Bali. One of the main concerns expressed by world leaders is the possible use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Echoing yesterday’s statements from the United States and China, French President Emmanuel Macron and Xi reiterated their shared view against the use of nuclear weapons in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

At the same time, the West seems to be trying to drive a wedge between China and Russia by working with Beijing on the economy, which is getting worse in China.

So far Xi has shielded his Russian counterpart in global forums. The final communiqué of the Bali summit will indicate how successful the Western rapprochement with China is.

According to Reuters, a draft is making the rounds with an explicit condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, something that Beijing has so far refused to endorse.