Chinese President Xi Jinping skips BRICS summit for first time. Here’s why it matters

Source: The Indian Express | Original Published At: 2025-07-06 15:47:40 UTC

Key Points

• Xi Jinping skips BRICS summit for the first time since 2013, citing domestic economic priorities
• Premier Li Qiang represents China, emphasizing continuity in foreign policy engagement
• Summit agenda includes de-dollarisation efforts and energy cooperation
• New BRICS members (Iran, UAE, Ethiopia, Egypt) expected to participate
• Putin to attend via video due to Brazil's ICC obligations

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend this year’s BRICS summit in Brazil – the first time he has missed the annual meeting since taking power. CNN reports the decision reflects his focus on China’s domestic economy and limited expectations for the summit’s outcome.

Xi Jinping is staying away from the Rio de Janeiro summit to concentrate on managing China’s economic challenges. He has instead sent Premier Li Qiang to represent China.

Analysts say China is preparing for a major political meeting expected later this year, and Xi may be prioritising domestic planning over international travel.

“BRICS is part of Beijing’s effort to avoid being surrounded by US allies,” said Chong Ja Ian, a professor at the National University of Singapore told CNN. But he noted that with President Donald Trump’s trade policies weakening US alliances, the pressure on China may have eased.

Brian Wong, a professor at the University of Hong Kong, told CNN that sending Li Qiang should not be seen as a downgrade. “There is much in BRICS+ that fits Xi’s foreign policy worldview,” he said.

Who is attending the BRICS summit?

With Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin not attending in person, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will be among the high-profile leaders present.

Puutin will join by video link, as Brazil is a member of the International Criminal Court and would be required to arrest him if he attended physically on a court charge alleging war crimes in Ukraine. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will host the summit.

Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto is expected to attend after the country officially joined BRICS earlier this year. Delegations from newer members such as Iran, the UAE, Ethiopia, and Egypt are also likely to join, though not all plans have been confirmed.

What’s on the agenda?

The summit comes as President Trump’s temporary freeze on new tariffs is set to expire on 9 July. Several BRICS countries are under pressure to reach trade deals with the US to avoid higher tariffs.

The group is also expected to discuss de-dollarisation a move to use national currencies instead of the US dollar for trade. However, the idea of a shared BRICS currency, proposed last year by Lula, is not likely to be discussed seriously. Trump has warned of heavy tariffs on countries that support such a plan.

Though China is not pushing for major outcomes this year, Premier Li is expected to focus on strengthening energy cooperation and promoting China’s digital currency in trade.