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Former Chinese president Hu Jintao led out of party congress closing event
After getting up, Hu briefly talked with Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, before stewards at the venue were seen quietly speaking with him, according to footage and photos circulated by AFP and Channel News Asia
BEIJING: The Communist Party of China (CPC) wrapped up its twice-a-decade national congress on Saturday but not before in an unusually dramatic development former president Hu Jintao had to be escorted out of the venue of the key party meet by aides without any explanation offered.
It was all going according to the script when around half-way into the proceedings of the closing ceremony, Hu, 79 -- sitting between the president and Li Zhanshu, a member of the outgoing politburo standing committee at the Great Hall of the People - got up from his seat, appearing unsteady.
Hu was sitting on the front row along with current and former leaders on the stage with 2,296 congress delegates in front.
Besides the delegates and the CPC’s top leadership, the incident was witnessed by members of the domestic and foreign media corp, some of whom had just walked into the central hall to cover the remaining part of the closing ceremony.
After getting up, Hu briefly talked with Xi and Premier Li Keqiang, before stewards at the venue were seen quietly speaking with him, according to footage and photos circulated by AFP and Channel News Asia.
Hu appeared to speak to Xi and then with Li before the stewards on duty at the Great Hall led the former president out.
Neither Xi nor Li got up from their seats to help the frail former leader; when Li Zhanshu, who appeared concerned, attempted to get up from his seat to help Hu, another top leader, Wang Huning, signalled him to sit down.
The former president did appear to resist being escorted out of the meeting but finally left with two stewards on his side.
The former leader’s departure was not explained by the Chinese government.
The Congress continued as planned after Hu’s departure with his chair remaining empty for the rest of the procedure.
Hu had appeared unsteady on October 16 when he was assisted onto the same stage at the Great Hall for the opening ceremony of the national congress.
Unlike former leaders of democracies, Chinese leaders disappear from public life after retirement; they are not even heard of.
They are well looked after though with the relevant CPC department supervising after their post-retirement lives and needs.
Hu and Wen Jiabao, who was the premier during the former’s presidency, have not been seen in public after they retired in 2013 except at key CPC meets, events and military parades.
Some former leaders were said to be influential even after retirement like Jiang Zemin.
Under Xi, however, the influence of his predecessors like Hu and Wen have been negligible.
Hu Haifeng, Hu’s son, was among the delegates when the former president was taken away. Hu Haifeng is a delegate to the national congress from the eastern province of Zhejiang.
