The leaders of the United States, China, and Russia will all skip the Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa, the first to be held on the African continent. Since the G20 was launched in 1999, this is the first time all three leaders have missed the annual summit.
On the 13th (local time), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China said Premier Li Qiang will attend the G20 Leaders Summit on Finanical Markets and the World Economy in Johannesburg, South Africa, from the 22nd to the 23rd in place of President Xi Jinping.
Russia also said on the 4th that Deputy Chief of Staff Maksim Oreshkin will instead lead its delegation under a decree by President Vladimir Putin. Putin did not attend the BRICS summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July because of the possibility that an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the invasion of Ukraine could be executed.
In the United States, President Donald Trump said directly on Truth Social on the 7th that he would not attend, saying, "It is truly a disgrace that the G20 meeting is being held in South Africa." He also canceled Vice President JD Vance's previously scheduled attendance.
Trump claims that Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers, are suffering land and farm confiscations, murder, and violence in South Africa. On the 5th, he also hinted at expelling South Africa from the G group, saying, "South Africa should no longer belong to the G group."
The South African government countered, saying, "The claim that Afrikaners are being persecuted is baseless." It added, "Our country is in a unique position within the G20 to lead a future of genuine solidarity, based on our journey from racial and ethnic division to democracy."
Some worry that the G20's first staging on the African continent could be dimmed by the absence of leaders from key members such as the United States, China, and Russia. Argentina also decided to send its foreign minister instead of President Javier Milei.
The United States, which holds the G20 presidency next year, is supposed to take over as chair at this summit, but its absence is expected to cause setbacks.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking the previous day about the U.S. boycott of the G20, said, "We will make important decisions (at the G20)," adding, "If the United States does not attend, it is their loss." He continued, "In many respects, the United States would also be giving up a very important role it must play as the world's largest economy."