Xi Jinping's health concerns at Trump summit spur succession worries
At the recent summit with US President Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a private room set up for him inside the West Wing for him to take a break between events, with only his wife, Peng Liyuan, permitted to join him.
The Chinese team also canceled a working lunch, leaving a five-hour gap in the schedule.
These unusual steps have fueled talk about Xi's health, especially since his cautious movements were visible in the unedited footage.
Summit agenda trimmed, Xi footage edited
The summit agenda was trimmed to fit Xi's physical needs, and Chinese media even edited footage of him getting help on stairs to keep up appearances.
Former US official Dennis Wilder called the hold-room arrangement "unprecedented."
While there is no sign of cognitive issues in Xi, experts warn that China has no clear successor lined up, something that could cause serious problems if his health declines further.