Former China President Unexpectedly Led Out Of Party Congress — CNN

Former China President Hu Jintao was unexpectedly led out of the closing ceremony of the Communist Party Congress in Beijing today from his chair next to his successor Xi Jinping, CNN reported, citing meeting video.

Li’s departure was “a moment of drama during what is typically a highly choreographed event,” the network reported. “The circumstances surrounding Hu’s exit are not clear.”

Hu was led out “shortly after foreign media came in,” the Associated Press said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The week-long gathering on Saturday selected 205 party leaders of its central committee for the next five years. The meeting comes amid geopolitical tension with the U.S. over Taiwan and Beijing’s close ties with Russia, and has been watched by governments, businesses and investors globally for signs of China’s future policy directions.

Hu, 79, was seated next to Xi “when he was approached by a staff member,” CNN said. “While seated, Hu appeared to talk briefly with the male staff member, while China’s third most senior leader, Li Zhanshu, who was seated to his other side, had his hand on the chair behind Hu’s back,” CNN reported.

“Hu then appeared to rise after being lifted up by the staff member, who’d taken the former leader by the arm, while Kong Shaoxun, head of the party’s secretariat came over. Hu spoke with the two men briefly and initially appeared reluctant to leave.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“At one point, while Hu was still seated, Xi appeared to place his hand over a document that Hu was attempting to reach for preventing him from doing so,” CNN said.

Chinese state-run media, as it has all week, lauded the meeting today, without explaining why Hu was led out.

“The congress noted that the establishment of Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has set the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on ‘an irreversible historical course,’” Xinhua News Agency reported today.

The party’s powerful Politburo and standing committee will be named on Sunday and meet the domestic and foreign press, Xinhua said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The congress until today had been notable for consistency of policy statements (see related post here).

@rflannerychina