Xi Jinping's Health Raises Concerns Amidst Unusual Demands During Trump Summit

Unusual demands for extended rest periods and private spaces, including a specially designated 'hold room' in the White House, marked Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent summit with former US President Donald Trump, fueling speculation about the leader's true state of health. US officials noted that the request for such downtime was highly unusual, according to The Wall Street Journal.

During the summit, China insisted on substantial breaks in the schedule and expressed concerns about the amount of time Xi would need to stand and walk. The private 'hold room' was reportedly a space where only Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, was permitted to accompany him, excluding even his chief of staff. China also declined an offer for a working lunch on the sole full day of the summit.

Xi Jinping's physical demeanor was observed to be one of apparent weakness. He was seen descending aircraft steps cautiously and gripping his wife's hand while climbing stairs at the National Archives, actions that suggested a need for support. While Trump publicly described Xi as 'strong, vibrant and fit,' US officials privately perceived physical frailty.

Speculation regarding Xi's health predates the Trump meeting. Earlier in September, he withdrew at the last minute from a gala dinner at a summit in New Delhi, reportedly feeling unwell. This incident led to unsubstantiated reports from overseas exiles suggesting he had fallen seriously ill and been rushed home.

Further fueling these rumors are periodic unexplained absences from public view. Xi disappeared from public view for two weeks in May of the previous year and again for ten days at the end of May this year, during which a Politburo meeting was reportedly scrapped, an unusual occurrence.

Xi Jinping is described as a lifelong smoker, overweight, unfit, and fond of alcohol, according to Dennis Wilder, a former senior China analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. Wilder recounted a conversation with former Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, who reportedly stated that Xi 'loved to drink,' with Moutai being a favored beverage.

Exiled businessman Desmond Shum, who has had close ties to prominent Chinese figures, has stated that Chinese leaders go to extreme lengths to conceal any ill health during international travel. He claims that such leaders travel with their own toilets and that their waste is collected and removed, potentially to prevent any clues about their health from being leaked.

The implications of Xi's health are significant, given his consolidation of power as China's most formidable leader since Mao Zedong. He has removed political opponents and abolished term limits, effectively positioning himself for life rule. This has led to a substantial purge of military officials, with dozens of generals and lieutenants removed since 2022, including high-ranking figures accused of disloyalty and corruption.

With no obvious successor, Xi's potential incapacitation could trigger a power struggle within the Chinese Communist Party. The absence of mechanisms for orderly power transitions, which were previously established by Deng Xiaoping, increases the likelihood of instability. Such internal turmoil could have significant global economic repercussions, given China's role as a major manufacturing hub.

Historically, the Chinese Communist Party has engaged in extensive cover-ups regarding the health of its leaders. The case of Mao Zedong's decline, which was heavily concealed, demonstrates the lengths to which the party will go to maintain secrecy. Similarly, the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev's final years were marked by declining health and economic stagnation, accompanied by a loss of legitimacy for the ruling party.

In an apparent attempt to counter the growing speculation about his health, state media recently highlighted Xi Jinping chairing a 'national meeting on health,' a move interpreted by some as a carefully crafted effort to project an image of vitality and authority.