- Title: CHINA: Health rumours fly as country remains silent on Xi Jinping
- Date: 13th September 2012
- Summary: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE - FEBRUARY 2012) (REUTERS) XI SEATED WITH UNITED STATES PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA XI SPEAKING OBAMA AND XI SHAKING HANDS BEIJING, CHINA (FILE - MARCH 2012) (REUTERS) CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO, CHINESE PREMIER WEN JIABAO AND OTHER LEADERS WALKING INTO SESSION LEADERS STANDING AND CLAPPING SESSION IN PROGRESS BAND PLAYING XI SEATED XI AND OTHERS PRESSING BUTTONS
- Embargoed: 28th September 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: Health,People
- Reuters ID: LVA9VLW6WC94HC4LMV89EB8A3WWK
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Rumours surrounding the health of Xi Jinping continue to fly as China maintains its silence on its president-in-waiting.
Newspaper headlines in Hong Kong questioned Xi's health and possible changes to the Communist Party's congress next month, reflecting the concern of the Chinese public.
Xi was cited by state media late on Wednesday (September 12) night as expressing condolences to the family of a veteran Communist Party official who died last week.
But there were no public sightings or new photographs of him, and Beijing has still not issued a statement directly responding to the rumors over the 59-year-old's health, which have included a bad back, heart trouble, a stroke and a car-crash injury.
"I have never heard of any country's head of state suddenly disappearing. As a Hong Kong resident, I feel shocked, but there is nothing I can do, we all have busy lives. But I hope the government can become more open and transparent, so we can be less worried," said Right Hui, a salesman in Hong Kong.
But some residents in Hong Kong said they were not worried, even though some experts have said that Beijing's silence could indicate some discord behind the scenes.
"Maybe he has health problems and is recovering, but no matter the reason, I think mainland China has its own plans. I think they have their own reasons. I am not too worried, because this has to do with the internal policies of mainland China, and outsiders should not intervene anyway," said Francis Yuen, a retiree.
China's foreign ministry on Thursday (September 13) maintained a tight lid on the subject, repeating the answer that it had given at its daily briefing over the last week.
"I have already answered several times to questions relevant to this matter," said spokesman Hong Lei, who was asked the question repeatedly on Thursday.
China experts doubt Xi is suffering more than a minor ailment - a version supported by sources close to the leadership - but Beijing's refusal to clarify the situation has begun to emerge as a talking point in global financial markets.
"I think there is nothing wrong with the economy. I really just think that people are very risk-averse. And then there's visibility, especially political transition is especially hard to bear for a lot of people. Especially lately, Xi Jinping has been a big worry for people. He's been out of the public eye for about a week now. More than a week, for 9 days," Frances Cheung, head of China and Hong Kong strategy with investment group CLSA, said on the sidelines of a conference in Hong Kong.
The uncertainty has yet to move Chinese and foreign markets, which remain absorbed by Europe's debt crisis and China's own economic slowdown, but investors are now keeping a close eye on Xi in a year already notable for high political drama.
Xi, expected to be named as the party's new boss next month and take up the reins as president in March, was last known to have appeared in public on Sept. 1, but speculation only took off last week when he skipped meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Singapore's prime minister.
This week, a pre-arranged photo opportunity between Xi and the Danish prime minister never happened.
Some sources have said Xi suffered a back injury while swimming, though they gave no more details. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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