Mystery over whereabouts of China's leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping

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.

Reminds me of the time when Governor Mark Sanford went missing from South Carolina for many days with rumors that he went hiking on the Appalachian Trail , only to be discovered to have been gallivanting with his mistress (now his wife ) in Argentina.

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.

;-)

2 posted on 09/10/2012 5:24:02 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of rotten politics smelled around the world.)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.