Xi Jinping Faces Health Scrutiny on 3-Day Washington Visit as 73-Year-Old Seeks 4th Term
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 23
Xi Jinping Faces Health Scrutiny on 3-Day Washington Visit as 73-Year-Old Seeks 4th Term
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 23
Summary
Washington will put Xi Jinping’s physical condition under unusual scrutiny, with observers expected to watch even his descent from the plane for signs of frailty.
At 73, Xi is preparing to secure a near-certain fourth term late next year, and the lack of an obvious successor makes any hint about his health politically significant.
Recent episodes have fed the speculation: Xi moved slowly and held his wife’s hand on a plane stairway in Kyrgyzstan in August, then reportedly skipped a BRICS dinner in New Delhi this month.
The focus extends beyond personal health because China’s Communist Party has no clear succession rules if a top leader becomes incapacitated or dies, a risk Xi heightened by overturning retirement norms.