We came across several posts circulating on X and in local Telegram chat groups that China’s President, Xi Jinping suffered from a stroke and is in a critical condition.
The posts also share a number of pictures of President Xi in discomfort, alleging that these pictures were taken during the third plenary session – a meeting with the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CCCP) from 15 July 2024 to 18 July 2024.
The importance of the CCCP’s plenary sessions
The CCCP is considered one of the highest organs of authority in the Chinese Communist Party and carries out key decision-making functions, including the election of the party’s General Secretary and members of the Politburo.
Every five years, the CCCP gathers for a closed-door plenary session, to announce the party’s key socio-economic policies and direction for the next five years. In the lead-up to this year’s plenary session, analysts speculated that the session will mark key structural and economic reforms to raise productivity and shield the domestic economy from an increasingly volatile world.
Beyond policy announcements, these sessions offer a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as the power dynamics within the CCCP and its Politburo. Amid economic and geopolitical challenges, it is strategically important for the CCCP and its senior officials, like President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, to project a strong, assertive front to reassure the wider Chinese population.
The story within the picture
We conducted a reverse image search on the photographs circulating on social media and found that they were taken during the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing on 11 March 2024.
The picture of President Xi with his eyes closed in what appears to be a grimace captured his reaction after taking a sip from his cup. Pictures taken shortly after show President Xi to be standing and appearing in good health.
No major news outlets reported about a stroke at the time, and some outlets speculated that his drink (presumably a cup of tea) was either too bitter or too hot. Some analysts even speculated that the pictures subtly hint at the power dynamics within the NPC and the Chinese Community Party. At the meeting of the NPC, President Xi was the only official with two teacups, setting him apart from his fellow party members.
Additionally, there have been no reports from credible news outlets or official Chinese sources following the recent third plenary session about President Xi suffering a stroke. A video by China’s state-run China Central Television showed him appearing well while visiting the Embassy of Vietnam in Beijing on 20 July 2024 to pay his respects to the former President of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong, who passed away on 19 July 2024.
Hence, the assertion that President Xi Jinping suffered a stroke at the recent third plenary session in July is likely false.
