(TibetanReview.net, Oct06’26) – Chinese President Xi Jinping’a visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit over Sep 12-13 and, especially, his state visit to the USA over Sep 23-25 have reignite rumours about his health, although he is not known to be tied to any specific concerning medical condition.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said Oct 3 that Xi’s staff requested several breaks during his White House visit and to cut down the duration of some events, raising questions about the 73-year-old’s health. It also follows similar rumours that swirled during Xi’s trip to India for the BRICS summit, noted indianexpress.com Oct 4.
People familiar with the planning have told WSJ that Chinese officials asked the White House for a private room where Xi could rest between engagements and sought more downtime during his Washington visit.
The most unusual detail was stated to be a request for a private “hold room” inside the White House’s West Wing. Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan was reportedly the only other person allowed inside the room, with even Cai Qi, a senior member of Xi’s delegation and his chief of staff, being not permitted to use it.
Dennis Wilder, a former senior China director at the National Security Council, has described the private room arrangement as unusual compared with previous state visits he helped organize.
The bilateral meeting at the White House on Sep 24 began close to noon and ended by early afternoon. Xi then left the White House and returned for the state dinner that evening, limiting the time available for substantive discussions, according to the WSJ report.
Chinese officials have also turned down a planned working lunch between Xi and US President Donald Trump on Sep 24, the only full day of his Washington visit, saying they wanted more time for Xi to rest. The decision was stated to have created a roughly five-hour gap in the summit schedule.
The WSJ report also referred to the fact that at the Joint Base Andrews, footage showed Xi holding Peng’s hand while using the aircraft’s railing as he descended the stairs on his arrival in the USA.
Then, two days later, while climbing the National Archives steps alongside Trump and his wife Melania Trump, Xi again held Peng’s hand, with the WSJ reporting that he appeared to rely on her for support.
Unusual scheduling was also stated to be visible elsewhere in Xi’s itinerary. No official engagements were planned for him on the evening of his arrival following a roughly 14-hour flight from Beijing, while his visit to the US National Archives the following day lasted only about 10 minutes, far shorter than initially planned.
The WSJ report brought renewed focus on an incident during the BRICS summit in New Delhi when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefly appeared to check on Xi, asking his interpreter, “Is it okay?” after the Chinese president appeared uncomfortable.
Xi later skipped a gala dinner hosted by Modi for the participating BRICS leaders and other dignitaries after attending the first day of the summit and holding a bilateral meeting with Modi.
Taken together, the episodes have renewed questions over Xi’s health, though no specific illness has been established. With Xi holding China’s top political and military posts, any health concerns could have wider implications for Beijing, noted the timesofindia.com Oct 3.