“Why Is Xi Jinping Skipping the BRICS Summit for the First Time Ever?” Here You Know!

Beijing, July 6: The 17th BRICS Summit opened in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, but the absence of two of the bloc’s most influential leaders—China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin—has overshadowed the gathering of major emerging economies. Xi’s decision not to attend marks his first absence since becoming China’s president in 2012, with Beijing citing unspecified scheduling conflicts. Chinese Premier Li Qiang is representing China at the summit instead.

The timing of Xi’s absence is significant: BRICS, originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has expanded since 2024 to include Egypt, the UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Iran. The summit is expected to focus on deepening cooperation amid rising concerns over Western dominance, especially as some members face an impending July 9 deadline to resolve US tariff disputes.

Experts suggest Xi’s absence may reflect waning enthusiasm among BRICS’ founding members. The group’s recent expansion has diluted its ideological coherence as a counterweight to the G7, shifting it toward a collection of diverse, sometimes competing, interests. Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore told CNN that BRICS may no longer be Xi’s priority, particularly as China grapples with domestic economic challenges and prepares for a critical political conclave later this year.

Meanwhile, Russian President Putin is also skipping the summit in person, appearing via video link instead. His decision stems from an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine; Brazil, as an ICC member, could have faced diplomatic fallout had he traveled.

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Brazil, under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, seeks to steer BRICS discussions toward constructive issues like the green energy transition, equitable vaccine cooperation, and fairer trade practices at the WTO. Lula’s administration wants to move beyond purely criticizing Western policies in Ukraine and the Middle East, aiming instead to position BRICS as a platform for inclusive global governance reform.

The changing dynamics of BRICS, now a diverse grouping of countries with varying relationships with the West, highlight both the bloc’s growing influence and its internal complexities—challenges that leaders in Rio will need to navigate carefully in the days ahead.