China, Russia Raise Objections to US Starting Next Rotation of G20 Presidency

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Sept 9: China and Russia are learnt to have questioned the claims of the United States to chair G20 group of nations three years from now after the current president India and followed by Brazil and South Africa completed their one-year stints.

The US president Joe Biden’s administration has already announced that the US would be hosting the G20 nations in 2026, sources said.G20 members rotate their presidency of the group, including the annual summit of world leaders, and the US has said it will take it on after India, Brazil and South Africa complete their respective yearlong stints.

China and Russia’s objections was mostly considered to be symbolic as it’s unlikely the decision would be reversed. Beijing asked that its displeasure be recorded, the sources said, but could not say the reasons for China’s objections.

By the end of 2025 all members will have hosted at least one summit and the point reached where the rotation begins again and could be with the US which had hosted the first G20 in Washington in 2008.

Attempts to upset that convention reflect China’s standoff with the US over issues from Taiwan to technology export controls. Neither Chinese leader Xi Jinping nor Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending the G20 in New Delhi. The G20 is divided into regional sub-groups, whose members decide who will host the summit. The US is in a group with Canada, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Saturday, US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer pointed out that India, Brazil and South Africa – “the three democratic members of the BRICS” group that also includes China and Russia – are the current and next two chairs of the G20. “They are committed to the G20 success, so is the United States. We will host after those three,” Finer said.