Chinese President Xi Jinping to Miss 2025 BRICS Summit July 6-7 in Rio, Premier Li Qiang to Lead Delegation

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the 2025 BRICS summit scheduled for July 6-7 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, marking the first time he has missed the annual gathering since assuming power in 2013. The Chinese government informed Brazil of Xi's absence, citing a scheduling conflict as the official reason. Premier Li Qiang, who recently attended the G20 summit in India, is expected to lead the Chinese delegation in Xi's place. Despite Xi's absence, analysts suggest this does not indicate a withdrawal from the BRICS grouping. Xi Jinping has met Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva twice this year, and some reports hint that Lula's invitation to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be a factor in Xi's decision to skip the summit. The BRICS summit will proceed with other member countries present, but the absence of China's leader is notable given his continuous participation in the forum since its inception over a decade ago.