UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the summit on Sunday that he welcomes G20 efforts under the Chinese presidency to promote a new path for growth, trade and investment, and he is encouraged by G20 efforts to support industrialization in Africa and the least developed countries. “This is our airport!”
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May is meeting world leaders including US President Barack Obama and China’s Xi Jinping at the G20 summit.
Leaders of the G20 members, including US President Barack Obama, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Japan’s Shinzo Abe, Britain’s Theresa May, Germany’s Angela Merkel, France’s Francois Hollande and India’s Narendra Modi and officials from worldwide organizations are attending the summit.
Chinese officials rolled out a red carpet but failed to extend a staircase to Air Force One – leaving President Obama hanging and touching off a near fistfight.
“The reception that President Obama and his staff got when they arrived here Saturday afternoon was bruising, even by Chinese standards”, the New York Times reported. For 15 minutes the United States officials and the Chinese got into heated arguments about access and one security guard looked like he was going to throw a punch.
Speaking alongside British Prime Minister Theresa May, Obama continued, “You notice some chortling among the Brits”. “And it doesn’t just happen here”.
In an unusually lengthy statement following the meeting, the White House said Obama had “underscored the United States’ unwavering commitment to the security of its treaty allies”. “The seams are showing a little more than usual”, Obama said, while suggesting that the flare-up was not a big deal. Far more likely is the idea that this snub was created to show that China has no fear of us and not that much respect when you get right down to it. “We’ve got a lot of planes and a lot of helicopters and a lot of cars and a lot of guys, and if you’re a host country, it may feel a little bit much”.
The altercation occurred out of sight of Obama, who greeted ambassadors and other officials before the presidential motorcade pulled away with Rice.
British Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday defended her decision to delay a partly Chinese-funded nuclear power deal, despite it causing diplomatic tension with China.
The new Prime Minister, who is attending her first major worldwide summit since taking office, admitted that there “will be difficulties” but said she is “optimistic” about Britain’s prospects.
Obama and President Xi Jinping announced they had committed their nations to a landmark climate deal brokered a year ago in Paris.
Obama took the fracas in his stride on Sunday, saying that although the USA insists on press access and does not “leave our values and ideals behind”, the travelling White House juggernaut could be intimidating.
In his 35-minute meeting with Xi, Modi said, “To ensure development of bilateral ties and their steady development, it is of paramount importance that we respect each other’s aspirations, concerns and strategic interests”.
“The President reaffirmed that the USA will work with all countries in the region to uphold the principles of worldwide law, unimpeded lawful commerce, and freedom of navigation and overflight”, the White House said. “He reiterated that our response to terrorism should not be dictated by the political considerations”, Swarup told Indian journalists.
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