Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent absence from a BRICS summit dinner has reignited health concerns ahead of his upcoming visit to the U.S. on the 24th (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 18th. President Xi is 73 years old this year.
President Xi was initially scheduled to attend the dinner following the BRICS summit in New Delhi, India, on the 12th but canceled at the last minute. Citing multiple sources, the WSJ reported that his poor physical condition led to the cancellation. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the dinner in his place. Given that this was President Xi’s first visit to India in seven years and he had already accepted an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dinner, his absence was seen as unusual.
Subsequently, rumors spread on social media claiming President Xi was in critical condition, had suffered a stroke, or fainted. India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed these as “fake.” The Press Trust of India (PTI), a state-run news agency, reported that President Xi had returned to his hotel to rest and released footage showing him boarding a plane without assistance. The WSJ also stated, “There is no evidence” supporting the health speculation.
The health rumors are drawing heightened attention ahead of President Xi’s scheduled visit to the U.S. on the 24th. U.S. President Donald Trump and President Xi are set to hold a summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., on the 24th. This will be their first face-to-face meeting since their summit in Beijing in May, four months ago, and President Xi’s first state visit to Washington since 2015, 11 years ago. The talks are expected to address contentious issues in the U.S.-China rivalry, including tariffs, rare earths, the Iran war, Taiwan, and AI, artificial intelligence. However, if health concerns lead to a cancellation, it could impact bilateral relations. The Chinese side did not respond to the WSJ’s inquiries about President Xi’s health.
As of now, there are no signs of changes to President Xi’s U.S. visit plans. President Trump told reporters on the 18th, “It will be a very good meeting.” Prior to the summit, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet in New York this weekend to discuss trade, rare earths, and AI.
This is not the first time health rumors have surfaced about President Xi. During his visit to Kyrgyzstan last month, footage showed him slowly descending a plane staircase while holding First Lady Peng Liyuan’s hand. In December 2024, during a visit to Macau, Peng Liyuan was heard telling him, “Go slowly,” as he descended a staircase. Chinese media edited out such scenes and audio. However, experts have cautioned against overinterpreting health issues based solely on gait.
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