China Steps Into the Spotlight as Trump Skips South Africa’s Historic G20 Summit

US President Donald Trump’s unexpected decision to skip this year’s G20 summit in South Africa has created an opening for China to further expand its influence on the African continent. The two-day gathering, which begins Saturday in Johannesburg, is the first G20 summit to be chaired by an African nation and hosted on African soil—marking a major milestone for the continent. Washington announced earlier in the week that it would boycott the event, citing widely disputed claims that South Africa mistreats its white minority population. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa swiftly rejected Trump’s accusations, calling the remarks a “total disgrace” and warning that “boycott politics doesn’t work”. By Friday, however, US officials were reportedly reconsidering and might still send a representative, though the uncertainty has already cast a shadow over Washington’s global leadership role. Meanwhile, Beijing is seizing the moment. President Xi Jinping has once again delegated international travel to Premier Li Qiang, who will represent China at the meeting. Analysts say the absence of the US president gives China a valuable platform to project itself as a stable, dependable global partner—especially to developing nations. “The US is giving China an opportunity to expand its global influence,” said Zhiqun Zhu, professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University. With the United States out of the picture, he said, countries at the summit will be “looking for leadership” from China and the European Union. Jing Gu, a political economist at the UK’s Institute of Development Studies, agrees that Washington’s absence leaves symbolic space for Beijing, though she cautions that it does not instantly elevate China to head of the global order. Still, she said, this moment reinforces the perception that the US is stepping back from multilateral cooperation, while China is working to present itself as a more predictable and steady actor. This year’s G20 is particularly important for the African continent. With the African Union participating as a full member for the first time, South Africa plans to push for progress on issues that matter most to developing economies—such as debt relief, sustainable economic growth, climate adaptation, and clean-energy transitions. For China, those priorities align well with its expanding footprint in Africa. China is already Africa’s largest trading partner and has rapidly deepened its involvement in the continent’s infrastructure, energy, and technology sectors. Li Qiang’s recent visit to Zambia— the first by a Chinese premier in nearly three decades—underscored Beijing’s strategic interest in Africa’s mineral wealth and growing markets. Zambia, rich in copper and heavily indebted to China, recently saw Beijing pledge support for the $1.4bn rehabilitation of the historic Tazara Railway, a key trade route linking Zambia and Tanzania. Africa’s surging demand for clean energy also dovetails with China’s manufacturing dominance. Imports of Chinese solar panels into Africa rose by 60 percent in the year to June 2025, according to the energy think tank Ember. Experts say China will use the G20 platform to deliver a three-part message: commitment to global stability, alignment with the priorities of the Global South, and leadership on issues such as digital governance, artificial intelligence, and the green transition. Trump’s absence would mark the third major global forum skipped by the US this year, following the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Korea and the COP30 climate conference in Brazil. For China, said Oxford University professor Rosemary Foot, it is “another opportunity” to contrast its professed commitment to multilateralism with Washington’s increasingly unilateral approach. Trump has taken a harder line on Africa than his predecessors—ending the duty-free trade era for many African nations and imposing tariffs of up to 30 percent on imports from 22 countries. By contrast, Xi Jinping recently announced a zero-tariff policy for all African nations with diplomatic ties to Beijing, framing it as part of China’s dedication to “shared prosperity” and development. As the G20 begins, all eyes will be on how China positions itself. Whether Beijing will meaningfully shift the summit’s agenda remains uncertain—but with the US on the sidelines, China’s influence will be felt more strongly than ever.

NEWS