Xi Jinping’s Absence in Public Stokes Massive Speculation

Spread love

Speculation Swirls Around Xi Jinping’s Absence amid Questions on China’s Leadership Stability

By TRH Global Affairs Desk

NEW DELHI, July 10, 2025 – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence from the public eye and his unprecedented decision to skip the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro have sparked intense speculation about his health, political standing, and the stability of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Questions have surfaced about whether Xi, regarded as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, is facing internal challenges or strategically retreating from the spotlight. Xi, who has held power since 2012, was last prominently featured in state media on June 24, 2025, during a meeting with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. His subsequent low profile, coupled with only two video appearances in over a month, has stoked rumours ranging from health concerns to a potential power struggle within the CCP.

The immediate trigger for the speculation is the decision of Xi to skip the BRICS Summit, a key platform for China to project global influence. Also, Brazil is a friendly nation of China. Besides, China has almost $130 billion of trades with the Latin American nations. China has massively invested in the region through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

To skip the BRICS Summit should not have been a normal decision for Xi unless he’s battling odds at the home, claimed geopolitical analysts.

Japanese and Korean media have been particularly vocal about the implications of Xi’s absence. The Japan Times published a commentary suggesting that speculation about Xi losing his grip on power overlooks China’s sophisticated digital authoritarianism, which “absorbs dissent through algorithmic control and selective visibility to reinforce CCP rule.” This highlights the CCP’s ability to maintain control despite apparent cracks in Xi’s public presence.

Meanwhile, a senior editorial writer at the Korea Economic Daily warned, “If Xi Jinping remains firmly in charge, his campaign for unification with Taiwan will likely intensify, with consequences for regional security, including ours. The world’s watching closely where China’s supreme leadership is headed.”

A China-based political analyst, speaking anonymously to the SCMP, suggested that Xi’s delegation of authority to key CCP institutions could signal preparations for a power transition. “The rules may be set up to regulate the bodies because it’s a key time for power transition,” the analyst said.

The speculation is further intensified by recent military purges and the reported rise of figures linked to former President Hu Jintao.

Xi is currently in his unprecedented third term in the office. He has also been battling dissensions within the ranks of the CCP, as well as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). While purging Qin Gang, when he was still the Foreign Minister of China, Xi is said to have purged a number of defence ministers, as well as senior military officials. Claims have been made in section of China observers that Xi has been purging “corruption” in the rocket division of the PLA.

Besides, security analysts argue that sections within the PLA are wary of Xi’s plan for a military action against Taiwan. Xi has set a 2027 timeline for the unification of Taiwan with the mainland China. Analysts state that the people in China and Taiwan have blood relations and therefore any military conflicts will trigger backlash within the ranks of the PLA.

Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn