Xi Jinping's Strange Questions While Waiting for Macron Reveal Hidden Insights

On May 26, 2023, Xi Jinping (right) and Peng Liyuan prepared to welcome the visiting president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Online screenshot)

[People News] Recently, footage has emerged showing Xi Jinping and his wife waiting in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife on December 4. The questions Xi asked were clearly audible to the outside world. While it remains unclear whether the footage was captured by Chinese state media or French media, its release offers a glimpse into Xi's physical and mental condition, as well as the credibility of rumours regarding his potential loss of power.

In the video, Xi Jinping appears somewhat anxious during the wait, asking two questions in quick succession: "Are the salutes going off outside?" and "Is there a salute?" A staff member nearby responded, "Yes, at Tiananmen, as soon as they get out of the car, the salutes will sound."

This raises some questions. As the leader of the Communist Party of China who has participated in hundreds of welcoming ceremonies for foreign leaders over the past decade, it is surprising that he is unaware of whether there will be salutes for Macron's welcome or if salutes are currently being fired outside. What does this imply?

It suggests that Xi may be experiencing cognitive and memory issues. Since reports of Xi's stroke surfaced following the Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party last July, there have been ongoing rumours over the past year that he may have suffered one or two additional strokes. The aftereffects of a stroke can include memory loss, speech difficulties, and diminished cognitive function.

Xi cannot meet foreign guests without his small notebook, often reading from it. CCTV footage deliberately obscures signs of Xi's unsteady gait and the original sound of his speech, indicating that while the aftereffects of his stroke may not be overtly visible, they have indeed affected his memory and cognition—something that is likely well-known among the senior leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Thus, when Xi posed these two unusual questions while waiting for Macron, it reflects significant health issues. Similar to how former U.S. President Biden has had his dementia concealed in various ways, the CPC is also attempting to hide Xi Jinping's health condition prior to any official announcement.

Additionally, this suggests that Xi's loss of power is not without basis. Since Xi welcomed Azerbaijani President Aliyev on April 23 this year, the CPC has implemented a new welcoming ceremony. According to the CPC, 'there are no small matters in diplomacy,' and the reception work serves as 'the business card of the national image.' Changes in the welcoming ceremony are significant.

Official reports indicate that the new etiquette for welcoming state guests primarily involves changes in the military band, flag team, and salute. Specifically, the military band has been moved from the south side to the north side, reducing from two groups of 122 people to one group of 82; the buglers' uniforms have changed from red to military green ceremonial attire; the previous north side flag formation has been eliminated; the flag team has decreased from 26 flags to 22; and the decibel level of the salute has been lowered from 99 decibels to 89 decibels, with the amount of gunpowder reduced from 30 grams to 10 grams.

Firstly, regarding sound, the cannon fire was reduced to 89 decibels, and after travelling a distance of at least 500 meters to the Great Hall, the sound was approximately 40 decibels. If there were other noises present, it would indeed be quite difficult for Xi to hear the cannon fire, especially given his condition following a stroke. Therefore, if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities genuinely wanted Xi to hear it, they would not have reduced the amount of gunpowder used. Furthermore, Xi has lost decision-making power in this regard, making it clear that his grip on power is questionable.

Secondly, the ceremonial attire of the honour guard has changed from red to green, which may carry deeper meanings.

After Xi took office in 2012, he stated at the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference in 2014 that 'China must have its own distinctive major power diplomacy.' Following this, the CCP's Protocol Department established new specifications and rituals for diplomatic ceremonies, focusing on what they termed 'major power style, major power demeanour, and major power characteristics.'

After Xi's directive, the 2014 welcome ceremony included female soldiers in the military honour guard for the first time, and the military band performed marching displays for the first time, with their ceremonial attire being red. That same year, the motorcade escort for state guests was reinstated. In 2018, the route for foreign guests' vehicles was modified, and flag-bearing honour guards were added along the route; the welcome ceremony also saw an increase in trumpet performances, the addition of female soldier formations, and improvements to the military band's arrangement. It is said that the choice of red for the ceremonial attire was made by Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan.

Recently, the etiquette for welcoming state guests has undergone another change. Does this not suggest that Xi Jinping's approach to major power diplomacy is being discarded? Does it not imply that Xi has indeed lost military authority and control over foreign affairs? Is his concern about whether there will be a salute indicative of his fear that his power could be abruptly taken away?

Additionally, there is further evidence of Xi's declining health and loss of power in his peculiar question to Macron (Mǎkèlóng) during their handshake: 'Did you arrive last night?' Typically, Xi would have asked, 'Did you rest well?' Was no one in Xi's circle aware of Macron's schedule in advance? Is it that Xi simply forgot, or is he trapped in an information bubble?

Clearly, the videos circulating abroad that showcase Xi's odd questions reinforce the idea that his influence within the military and the party has been diminished and weakened. Regardless of how he tries to present himself, he cannot conceal his underlying anxieties.

(First published by People News) △