Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence from a high-profile gala dinner during the BRICS summit in New Delhi sparked international speculation regarding his health, though foreign media reporting and official dismissals indicate no concrete evidence of a medical emergency. According to the Wall Street Journal, the 73-year-old Chinese leader withdrew at the last minute from the September 12 dinner after feeling unwell, marking his first trip to India in seven years.
The missed engagement immediately fueled unverified rumors across social media platforms, with claims circulating online that Xi had suffered a stroke or fallen seriously ill. India’s foreign ministry dismissed those claims as fake, according to reporting, while subsequent footage showed Xi walking independently and climbing the stairs to his plane without assistance upon his departure for China.
Succession Concerns Intensify in the Absence of an Official Explanation
Speculation persisted largely because Chinese authorities offered no official public explanation for Xi’s absence from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-hosted dinner. Minxin Pei, a professor at Claremont McKenna College in the United States, told the Wall Street Journal that the structural vulnerability of the Chinese political system lies in the absence of an established and reliable succession process, particularly since Xi scrapped presidential term limits in 2018.
Questions regarding Xi’s physical condition are not entirely new. During a visit to Kyrgyzstan, video footage spread online showing Xi slowly descending aircraft stairs while holding the hand of his wife, Peng Liyuan. Similar observations occurred when Xi attended ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to Chinese rule in December 2024, prompting varied interpretations among foreign observers, though analysts caution against reading too much into his gait.
Upcoming U.S.-China Summit Looms Amid Ongoing Health Rumors
Attention toward Xi’s health is intensifying ahead of his planned diplomatic visit to the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump and Xi are scheduled to discuss trade, artificial intelligence, cross-strait relations, and the war involving Iran at a summit tentatively set for September 24, according to U.S. Eastern time reports.
As of mid-September, foreign ministry reports indicate no diplomatic indication of any change to the upcoming U.S. trip. Observers note that speculation surrounding the Chinese president’s health will likely subside if Xi arrives in the United States as scheduled and completes his public itinerary normally, but uncertainty regarding political stability in a post-Xi governance structure will remain a central concern for international analysts.
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