China’s Xi Jinping was the leader everyone wanted to meet at this week’s G20 summit, where he took centre stage in a carefully choreographed appearance after three years of self-imposed pandemic isolation.
President Xi strode into Tuesday’s G20 summit the morning after a three-hour meeting with his US counterpart Joe Biden in which they promised to dial down the rhetoric and work to close the yawning gap between the two powers.
With smiles and handshakes — as well as promises of
fresh talks on climate change and trade — Xi appeared keen to paint himself as a magnanimous diplomat.
