Beneath The Smiles and Handshakes, Tensions Simmer As World Leaders Meet For G20

After converging in Osaka, Japan amid heavy rains, world leaders gathered on Friday morning for the traditional “family photo” that marks the start of the

Group of 20 powwow.

But beneath the smiling faces of the world’s most powerful people, tensions were brewing.

The year-long trade war between Beijing and Washington put the spotlight on Chinese President Xi Jinping, who made a beeline to shake hands with his US counterpart Donald Trump before the group picture, ahead of their high-stakes meeting on Saturday. It was the first time the two leaders had met in person since they called a truce on tariffs in December at the last G20 summit in Argentina – a ceasefire that ended last month as trade talks stalled.

In contrast, Xi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were seen later in the day sitting together but not talking, amid frosty relations between the two countries.

Moments before the shoot, Trump had crossed the red carpet with Vladimir Putin, at one point placing his hand on the Russian president’s back as they walked to the steps for the photo. The 38 world leaders took their places in three rows, with host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the centre of the first – flanked on the left by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trump, and on the right by Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Putin and Xi.

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Photo shoot over, the leaders filed into an event on the digital economy, where some took the chance to confer informally with their counterparts: Trudeau flashed a thumbs up at Abe, French President Emmanuel Macron clasped Xi’s hands as they spoke for several minutes, and Macron later whispered a few words into Trump’s ear.

Trudeau huddled with Australian Prime Minster Scott Morrison and Macron in a group discussion that was joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who sparked health concerns on Thursday when she was seen shaking in public for the second time in just over a week. A German government spokesman said she was “doing well” and nothing was wrong.

Despite the camaraderie, some geopolitical rifts were still evident between leaders. Xi sat down at the table next to Abe, but while the two leaders shook hands, they did not engage further.

The two held bilateral talks on Thursday, after which it was announced that Xi would make a state visit to Japan next spring during cherry blossom season, to signal the growing rapprochement between the historic rivals. But Japan’s foreign press secretary Takeshi Osuga said Abe had raised the issues of China’s detention of Uygurs in Xinjiang and the controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong that set off mass protests in the city. Before the summit, Beijing said it would not allow G20 nations to discuss Hong Kong.