UK PM Rishi Sunak-Chinese president Xi Jinping's meet scrapped moments before it was set to take place, here's why

According to Downing Street, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping stands cancelled. The prime minister of the United Kingdom was expected to see China's president Jinping at the G20 conference in Bali on Wednesday morning, UK time, for the first time in over five years.

The much-anticipated meeting was cancelled minutes before it was scheduled to begin, a Downing Street spokesman informed.

Instead, an emergency meeting between NATO and G7 leaders was scheduled for Wednesday morning after missiles were fired into Poland on Tuesday night, killing two civilians.


President Xi was not present at the emergency meeting because China is not a member of the G7. There were reports that the missile was shot from Russia into Poland, a NATO member, but US President Joe Biden appeared to imply that the missile was not fired from Russia.

An immediate inquiry is underway to establish who shot it. UK PM Sunak arrived at the G20 summit on Sunday, stating he was "hopeful" he would see President Xi, but the bilateral was announced on Tuesday evening before being called off hours later.

FAQ

Who is Rishi Sunak?
He is a British politician who has been Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since October 2022, also as Conservative Party Leader.

Who is Xi Jinping?
Xi Jinping is a Chinese politician who has served as the Chinese Communist Party's general secretary and the chairman of the Central Military Commission.