ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will likely have discussions with world leaders at the upcoming G20 meeting in China about controlling corporate tax avoidance and creating a more fair global tax system, the White House said on Thursday.

The EU ruled this week ruled that Apple must pay $13 billion euro ($14.5 billion) in back tax payments, a decision the Obama administration has criticized.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he did not expect headlines about progress on corporate tax avoidance from the G20 meeting of global economic leaders that runs Sunday through Monday.

"But I would anticipate that this is an issue that the President will engage in, in the context of discussions at the G20," Earnest said.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton, editing by G Crosse)