The two new superpowers are intending to attend the G-20 summit in Indonesia

*Paromita Das

 

China is in a bind as a result of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Just a few weeks after their meeting and joint declaration of their “no limits” partnership, Putin began his war of aggression. China’s covert support for Russia runs counter to Beijing’s public stance in favour of the concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity and puts Beijing’s relations with Europe in danger. Energy and food prices are rising as a result of Putin’s war of choice, which is making China’s COVID-19-related economic problems worse. The remarkable fortitude of Ukraine and the powerful allied response have probably forced China to reconsider its calculations regarding Taiwan.

 

Taking their friendship to the next level, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both intend to attend a Group of 20 summits in Bali later this year, according to Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

 

“Xi Jinping’s coming. In an interview with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait on Thursday, Jokowi said in an interview that President Putin has also promised to visit. It was the first time the ruler of the country with the fourth-highest population in the world acknowledged that both of them intended to attend the summit in November.

A confrontation with US President Joe Biden and other democratic leaders, who are all scheduled to meet in person for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, would result from the attendance of Xi and Putin at the meeting. The G-20 is split on whether to impose sanctions on Russia in the wake of the attack, which happened soon after Putin and Xi announced their “no limits” alliance.

 

A request for comment regarding Xi’s travel plans was not immediately answered by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Xi has not left the country since the pandemic began. According to another official familiar with the situation, Putin currently plans to attend the meeting in person. A Kremlin spokesman declined to comment on the matter.

In a phone call on Thursday, Putin and Jokowi discussed preparations for the G-20 summit in Bali, according to a statement from the Kremlin that didn’t specify whether the Russian president would be attending. Putin’s attendance may also be the first opportunity for him to meet Volodymyr Zelenskiy since Russia’s invasion because Zelenskiy will also be in Bali.

 

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden had called for its expulsion from the G-20, and US officials had earlier put pressure on Indonesia to bar Putin from the Bali summit.

 

Even as Biden and Xi leave open the possibility of having their first face-to-face meeting outside of the Bali summit, tensions are rising between the US and China. After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, China halted discussions with the US on defence and a number of other topics, and the White House criticised Beijing’s military exercises near the island.

 

The 61-year-old Jokowi stated in the interview that “the rivalry of the big countries is indeed worrying.” “We want this region to be stable and peaceful so that we can foster economic development. Additionally, I believe that other Asian nations besides Indonesia share the same goals.

 

Prudence Is Necessary 

Indonesia, which is currently hosting the G-20, has worked to maintain a balance in relations between major powers while defying calls to exclude Russia from the gatherings. Following Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this month, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry stated that maintaining peace and stability required “wisdom and responsibility” and emphasised that it respected other Southeast Asian countries’ One China policies.

 

Jokowi brushed aside worries that tensions between the US and China over Taiwan might spread to the South China Sea, where Indonesia has territorial claims, saying that countries should instead concentrate on resolving crises related to food, energy, and the pandemic. He added that Southeast Asian nations wanted wealthier nations to contribute money to help them make the switch to renewable energy and invest in expanding their economies.

Less than a quarter of the $40 billion that China and Hong Kong have invested in Indonesia over the five years leading up to 2022 has come from US investments. Businesses from China were pouring money into the construction of more commodity processing plants as well as high-speed railways and highways.

 

While only a small portion of the investments come from Russia, Rosneft and Indonesia’s state-owned energy company, Pertamina, have a joint venture to build a $13.5 billion refinery.

 

Jokowi stated that Indonesia is looking for trade and investment to improve economic growth and the lives of the 275 million people living there without mentioning any specific blocs.

He declared, “Indonesia wants to be friends with everyone.” We don’t clash with any nation. Every nation will take a different strategy. Each leader uses a different strategy. However, Indonesia needs investments and technology that will transform our society.