The growing list of Chinese elites who disappear but later resurface subdued

Foreign minister Qin Gang’s mysterious absence and replacement follows a pattern of falls from grace for rising stars

Qin Gang, China’s erstwhile foreign minister, has officially been replaced by Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat, in a surprise reshuffle that provided a sliver of clarity regarding Qin’s mysterious month-long absence. But many questions remain unanswered.

On Tuesday, the standing committee of China’s National People’s Congress convened a surprise session. The brief readout of the meeting stated that Qin had been removed as foreign minister, stalling, for now, the career of a former rising star of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) and close adviser to Xi Jinping, China’s leader.

Continue reading...

Was Hu Jintao’s removal from China’s 20th party congress suspicious or not?

Incident has split China watchers with some saying former leader was unwell and others it was political purge by Xi Jinping

After eight days of China’s most important political meeting, in which the autocratic leader Xi Jinping’s precedent-breaking third term was confirmed, belligerent foreign policy reaffirmed, and the leader of the world’s largest population and second-largest economy announced through the next five years, one question was on everyone’s lips: what on earth happened to Hu Jintao and where is he now?

The drama happened on Saturday morning. In a short window between foreign media being allowed into Beijing’s Great Hall and the start of the final public meeting of the 20th party congress, the former Chinese leader Hu was physically removed from his seat next to his successor, Xi, and out of the Great Hall of the People.

Continue reading...

Hu Jintao argued about official papers before being escorted out of congress

Footage shows former Chinese president involved in apparent disagreement over documents

China’s former leader Hu Jintao was arguing about official papers, moments before he was escorted off the stage at a key Communist party meeting in Beijing, new footage shows.

Hu’s apparently reluctant departure from the stage at the 20th congress of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) was a rare moment of unscripted drama at what was otherwise a carefully choreographed week of political theatre.

Continue reading...

In Mao’s footsteps: Xi Jinping puts himself at core of China’s government

President would normally step down now after 10 years as leader, but he has abolished term limits and promoted his allies

Xi Jinping has eliminated key rivals from China’s leadership and consolidated his grip on the country on the final day of a Communist party meeting at which former president Hu Jintao was led away unexpectedly from the main stage. Hu’s departure was a rare moment of unscripted drama in what is usually carefully choreographed political theatre.

The closing session of the 20th congress of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) ended a weekend of triumph for Xi that makes him China’s most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong. He has swept away the last norms of a political order built since Mao’s death to prevent a return to the worst excesses of rule by a single autocrat.

Continue reading...

Former Chinese president Hu Jintao unexpectedly led out of party congress

A frail-looking Hu seemed reluctant to leave the front row in Beijing’s Great Hall, with no explanation given for his departure

China’s former leader Hu Jintao was escorted from the closing session of a key Communist party meeting in Beijing, a rare moment of unscripted drama in what is usually carefully choreographed political theatre.

Hu, who is 79, and stepped down as head of the party 10 years ago, seemed confused and reluctant to leave his seat on stage at the Great Hall of the People.

Continue reading...

Clinton Foundation official plays defense over accusations

A top Clinton Foundation official defended its "lifesaving work" Sunday amid new criticism and pay-to-play accusations over Hillary Clinton's connections to its top donors. "None of the Clintons have ever taken a salary and don't profit from the foundation," Craig Minassian, the Clinton Foundation's chief communications officer, told MSNBC.