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| Chairman of China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress, Li Zhanshu speaking to former Chinese President Hu Jintao moments before Mr Hu was unexpectedly escorted out of the Communist Party Congress. (Image: CNA) |
Olivia Siong
25 Oct 2022
BEIJING: Rare footage captured by CNA in the moments before former Chinese president Hu Jintao's unexpected departure from the closing session of the Communist Party Congress on Saturday (Oct 22) may shed new light on the incident.
The current head of China’s legislature or the National People’s Congress, Mr Li Zhanshu, is seen sitting on the left of Mr Hu in the main auditorium of the Great Hall of the People.
He takes a set of papers from the former leader's hand and arranges it, before placing it back on the table, while leaning in to speak with Mr Hu.
Mr Li was a member of the previous Politburo Standing Committee, the party's top decision-making body.
These moments occurred shortly after the media, including CNA, were allowed to move from a holding area into the hall to witness proceedings.
Just minutes before that, Chinese state media reported that a new central committee had been elected at China's twice-a-decade Party Congress, which journalists were not allowed to witness.
Seated on Mr Hu’s other side, Chinese President Xi Jinping looks on before turning away, while outgoing Premier Li Keqiang, who was sitting next to him, keeps his gaze straight ahead.
Mr Li is then seen sliding the stack of papers away from 79-year-old Mr Hu while saying something to him, as the former leader looks ahead.
Mr Xi, who took over as Chinese leader from Mr Hu between late 2012 and early 2013, then appears to try and get someone’s attention. Mr Kong Shaoxun, head of the Communist Party’s secretariat, approaches and speaks with him before leaving.
Sitting next to Mr Li, ideology tzar Wang Huning, who was reappointed to the Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee on Sunday, is seen gesturing at Mr Hu.
Another staff member approaches Mr Hu and holds on to his chair, while listening to Mr Xi who gestures at the documents on the table in front of him.
The male staff member nods in acknowledgement, before moving between Mr Hu and Mr Li.
In the next few moments, Mr Li exchanges a few words with the staff member while the latter picks up the documents on the table.
Local and foreign media are positioned on level two of the auditorium and watch as Mr Wang looks to be glancing upwards in their direction. He says something to the group.
The staff member then supports Mr Hu's arm and appears to try and lift him out of his chair. He's also holding on to a pair of spectacles, presumably the one that was on the table in front of Mr Hu previously.
Head of the party’s secretariat Mr Kong approaches to help with Mr Hu's chair as the former president gets up but Mr Hu appears to turn back to his seat and at one point reaches for the documents in the staff’s hand, even as attempts are made to usher him along.
Eventually, Mr Hu starts to walk towards the stage exit, while being supported by the member of staff.
But he stops to say something to Mr Xi who nods and replies briefly. As Mr Hu leaves, he is also seen patting Premier Li’s shoulder as he walks past.
Some members of the Congress presidium, like Vice Premier Liu He, top diplomat Yang Jiechi and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission General Zhang Youxia seated on stage in the front row look straight ahead as Mr Hu exits behind.
Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, who lost his spot on the second-highest decision-making body - the Politburo - sits with his arms crossed as the 79-year-old walks behind him.
Tipped to have been a potential successor to outgoing Premier Li, the 59-year-old is known as "Little Hu" for his resemblance to the former president's political career. He is seen as one of his proteges and is associated with the rival Communist Youth League faction under the senior Hu.
Premier Li is also linked with the faction, which Mr Xi's not part of, and the 67-year-old is set to relinquish his post next March. He has also been excluded from the new central committee.
Meanwhile, newly appointed number two ranking official and Shanghai Party Chief Li Qiang, who looks set to take over from Premier Li, and incumbent Vice Premier Sun Chunlan are seen speaking to each other.
Following former president Hu’s departure, proceedings continued with delegates voting on other items on the agenda including an amendment to the party’s constitution.
The former Chinese leader did not return to the hall after that.
Addressing the incident later that night, Chinese state media attributed Mr Hu's exit to health reasons.
In a tweet written in English, Xinhua said that Mr Hu was “not feeling well” during the session and added that due to his health, a staff member had accompanied him to a room next to the meeting venue to rest.
Mr Hu's name was censored from Chinese social media.
Just minutes before that, Chinese state media reported that a new central committee had been elected at China's twice-a-decade Party Congress, which journalists were not allowed to witness.
Seated on Mr Hu’s other side, Chinese President Xi Jinping looks on before turning away, while outgoing Premier Li Keqiang, who was sitting next to him, keeps his gaze straight ahead.
Mr Li is then seen sliding the stack of papers away from 79-year-old Mr Hu while saying something to him, as the former leader looks ahead.
Mr Xi, who took over as Chinese leader from Mr Hu between late 2012 and early 2013, then appears to try and get someone’s attention. Mr Kong Shaoxun, head of the Communist Party’s secretariat, approaches and speaks with him before leaving.
Sitting next to Mr Li, ideology tzar Wang Huning, who was reappointed to the Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee on Sunday, is seen gesturing at Mr Hu.
Another staff member approaches Mr Hu and holds on to his chair, while listening to Mr Xi who gestures at the documents on the table in front of him.
The male staff member nods in acknowledgement, before moving between Mr Hu and Mr Li.
In the next few moments, Mr Li exchanges a few words with the staff member while the latter picks up the documents on the table.
Local and foreign media are positioned on level two of the auditorium and watch as Mr Wang looks to be glancing upwards in their direction. He says something to the group.
The staff member then supports Mr Hu's arm and appears to try and lift him out of his chair. He's also holding on to a pair of spectacles, presumably the one that was on the table in front of Mr Hu previously.
Head of the party’s secretariat Mr Kong approaches to help with Mr Hu's chair as the former president gets up but Mr Hu appears to turn back to his seat and at one point reaches for the documents in the staff’s hand, even as attempts are made to usher him along.
Eventually, Mr Hu starts to walk towards the stage exit, while being supported by the member of staff.
But he stops to say something to Mr Xi who nods and replies briefly. As Mr Hu leaves, he is also seen patting Premier Li’s shoulder as he walks past.
Some members of the Congress presidium, like Vice Premier Liu He, top diplomat Yang Jiechi and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission General Zhang Youxia seated on stage in the front row look straight ahead as Mr Hu exits behind.
Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, who lost his spot on the second-highest decision-making body - the Politburo - sits with his arms crossed as the 79-year-old walks behind him.
Tipped to have been a potential successor to outgoing Premier Li, the 59-year-old is known as "Little Hu" for his resemblance to the former president's political career. He is seen as one of his proteges and is associated with the rival Communist Youth League faction under the senior Hu.
Premier Li is also linked with the faction, which Mr Xi's not part of, and the 67-year-old is set to relinquish his post next March. He has also been excluded from the new central committee.
Meanwhile, newly appointed number two ranking official and Shanghai Party Chief Li Qiang, who looks set to take over from Premier Li, and incumbent Vice Premier Sun Chunlan are seen speaking to each other.
Following former president Hu’s departure, proceedings continued with delegates voting on other items on the agenda including an amendment to the party’s constitution.
The former Chinese leader did not return to the hall after that.
Addressing the incident later that night, Chinese state media attributed Mr Hu's exit to health reasons.
In a tweet written in English, Xinhua said that Mr Hu was “not feeling well” during the session and added that due to his health, a staff member had accompanied him to a room next to the meeting venue to rest.
Mr Hu's name was censored from Chinese social media.
Source: CNA/ec
[Here are two China Observers commentary on the ejection of Hu Jintao from the National People's Congress:]
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Hu Jintao's dramatic China Congress exit fuels speculation, official silence
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| Former Chinese president Hu Jintao leaves his seat next to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, during the closing ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Oct 22, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang) |
24 Oct 2022
BEIJING: In a country where events are planned to minute detail and politics is cloaked in secrecy, former President Hu Jintao's dramatic escorted exit from the closing of the Communist Party Congress sent speculation among China-watchers into overdrive.
As per tradition, Hu, 79, had been seated on Saturday (Oct 22) to the left of his successor, Xi Jinping, who was in the process of securing a third leadership term that was confirmed on Sunday.
During the once-in-five-years congress, Xi solidified his grip on power by appointing a Standing Committee made up entirely of loyalists - and excluding the three most senior members of Hu's once-powerful Communist Youth League faction.
The timing and circumstances have thus led to fevered conjecture over exactly what happened and why: Was it a "senior moment" for a man who appeared unsteady when he was helped onto the same stage a week earlier? Or something more sinister: A protest by Hu? A purge by Xi?
CNA's cameras captured the moments leading up to Hu's unexpected exit.
Current chairman of China's legislature, Li Zhanshu, is seen taking papers out of Mr Hu's hand, arranging them and placing them back on the table, as well as leaning in and speaking to him.
Numerous commentators said the symbolism, at least, spoke to the demise under Xi's increasingly authoritarian rule of the Youth League and China's tradition of collective leadership.
"It looked like an era has gone," said Joerg Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, who has lived in Beijing for decades. "It looked, frankly, very weird."
Photos and videos of the incident showed Hu reaching for a red folder on the desk in front of him, being held back by China's top legislator Li Zhanshu, and soon thereafter being led off the stage of the main auditorium of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by two stewards.
At one point, Li appeared to try to assist him, but was held back by Wang Huning, another member of the Politburo Standing Committee. Hu appeared to be distressed, and to resist being escorted from the stage.
He exchanged words with Xi and patted the shoulder of his Youth League protege, the outgoing Premier Li Keqiang, as he was escorted away.
"I was actually quite stunned about the fact that the whole group of people didn't show any empathy for an old man clearly struggling," Wuttke said.
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| Former Chinese president Hu Jintao is assisted at his seat during the closing ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Oct 22, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang) |
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| Former Chinese president Hu Jintao leaves his seat during the closing ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Oct 22, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang) |
"FEELING UNWELL"
China's only comment came in a pair of tweets in English late on Saturday by its official Xinhua news agency saying that Hu had been feeling unwell, an explanation that has been met with scepticism by some China-watchers.
Twitter is blocked in China, and there has been no mention of the incident in domestic media.
State TV's Saturday night news broadcasts included images of Hu at the congress, before his exit.
Asked at a regular news conference on Monday about the incident and the global attention it has gained, China's foreign ministry referred to the Xinhua tweets.
China's State Council Information Office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
"This episode probably tells us much more about China's information environment than it does about any power struggles within elite Chinese politics," said Benjamin Herscovitch, a research fellow at the Australian National University.
Chinese politics, always opaque, have become even more secretive under Xi's decade-long tenure.
"Despite the plausibility of a mundane explanation of ill-health, the CCP's secretiveness vis-a-vis senior Chinese leaders and elite Chinese politics lends itself to many more salacious explanations," he said.
On China's Twitter-like Weibo, a few social media users alluded to the incident by commenting on old posts featuring Hu. By Saturday night, the comments sections of almost all Weibo posts with Hu's name were no longer visible.
"I don't know what happened," said Victor Shih, associate professor at the University of California, San Diego. "Obviously, the timing is a bit suspicious."
Source: Reuters/zl
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