Posted on 09/10/2012 2:13:36 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Xi Jinping, 59, has not been seen in public since September 1, setting off rumours that he may be seriously ill or worse ahead of his unveiling at the Communist party's 18th Congress.
Such is the opacity of the party, however, that there has been no explanation for Mr Xi's absence; yesterday (MON), the Chinese Foreign ministry simply said, after several questions: "We have told everyone everything".
The last sighting of Mr Xi, the current vice-president, came when he gave a speech at the Central Party School in Beijing.
Eyebrows were raised when his aides then cancelled a meeting with Hillary Clinton, the United States secretary of State, at 11pm on September 4.
The following day, it emerged that Mr Xi had also cancelled meetings with the Singaporean prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, and a delegation from Russia.
No official explanation was given, but there were reports that Mr Xi had hurt his back, with some sources saying he had hurt it while swimming and others while he was playing football in Zhongnanhai, the Chinese leadership compound.
Mr Xi was also absent, according to an official account, from an emergency meeting on September 8 of the Central Military Commission, to discuss how the army would respond to a series of earthquakes in Yunnan province.
Finally, although invitations were sent out to Hong Kong journalists to see Mr Xi meet Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the prime minister of Denmark, at the Great Hall of the People yesterday afternoon, Mr Xi did not appear.
Instead, Mrs Thorning-Schmidt met with Wang Qishan, a Chinese vice premier. The Danes denied a meeting had ever been officially scheduled, as did a spokesman for the Foreign ministry.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Oh, he’ll show, at which time a huge kung fu/tai chi fight will erupt with broadswords, rope darts, halberds, silk, poison and blood flying all over the place. Then, he’ll assume his place on the throne as the new emperor.
;-)
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