Reluctant to leave, China's ex-president Hu Jintao forcefully escorted out
What's the story
Baffling visuals from the closing ceremony of the week-long 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Saturday showed the former President of China Hu Jintao being escorted out. As per visuals, Jintao appeared to be reluctant when being escorted. He was taken out while sitting next to the incumbent president of China Xi Jinping in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The incident at the closing ceremony has left people clueless about the incident but many assume that the "unfair exit" of the 79-year-old immediate predecessor of JinpingJinping could be political differences between the duo. At least 2,300 delegates were part of the Congress but no one objected to the visually "unfair escorting out" of Jintao.
Escorted out
What happened in the National Congress?
Visuals from the ceremony showed an official urging Jintao to get up. He then raises him by grabbing Jintao's arm. Jintao was seen exchanging a few words with the official before he was taken out. He also exchanged a few words with Jinping sitting to his right but could not get his proper attention.
Twitter Post
Visuals showing Hu Jintao being escorted out
Drama in China as former president Hu Jintao is escorted out of the closing ceremony pic.twitter.com/AzsqUJWuFx
— Dan Banik (@danbanik) October 22, 2022
Incident
'Incident confusing, conclusion not drawn'
The authorities there did not offer any explanation for Jintao's dramatic exit from the hall. The incident took place a little before Jinping's endorsement as a core leader by the CPC. "We still don't know what caused Jintao's actions, whether it was opposition to Jinping's power or simply an unfortunately timed senior moment," Agence France-Presse quoted Neil Thomas, a senior China analyst as saying.
Authoritarian
'Crushed opposition within party and country'
Jinping serving as president of the People's Republic of China since 2013 has been accused of "crushing dissent against him" within his party as well as the country. He has imprisoned several of his rivals on different charges. Magnate Ren Zhiqiang, 69, a strong critic of Jinping and his party was in September 2020 sent to 18 years imprisonment.