China leader skips key speech at developing countries’ summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to deliver a speech as scheduled on Tuesday at the business forum of the BRICS economic group in South Africa. Xi did not appear at the event and Beijing has not provided an official statement as to why. In his place, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao read a prepared statement from Xi. The president did attend a dinner later that evening with his host and other visiting dignitaries. BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It poses an alternative to economic coalitions such as the Western nations-led G-7.

What was the speech about? The prepared statement seemed to criticize the United States with thinly-veiled references to an unnamed country “maintaining hegemony” and going out of its way to cripple emerging markets. The speech drew issues with “some country” and its supposed containment practices and obstruction of developing countries. The speech also defended the strength of China’s economy. 

Dig deeper: Read Erika Kwong’s report in World Tour about China’s recent crackdown on Western diplomats and businesses.