Xi Jinping's Predecessor Being Led Out of Party Congress Divides Internet

Chinese President Xi Jinping's predecessor, Hu Jintao, was escorted out of the Chinese Communist Party's 20th National Congress on Saturday in an unusual move that has divided opinion.

The former president was led out of the closing ceremony of the congress by stewards who escorted him from his seat on the stage but he appeared reluctant to leave the event.

Hu had been sitting to Xi's left in the main auditorium of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and the 79-year-old reportedly appeared frail, which has led to speculation about his health.

However, some social media users also suggested that Xi could have had Hu removed as a means of asserting his own authority. Xi is expected to be confirmed once again as general secretary of the Communist Party this weekend.

Xi is also expected to begin a third term as president of China in March in a move that would break with the country's norms.

The BBC's China correspondent Stephen McDonell tweeted: "What on earth is going on when the former leader of #China #HuJintao is told to leave after the first session? When you look at the footage it appears as if he doesn't want to go. What does he say to #XiJinping? What does he say to #LiKeqiang?"

Hu appeared to speak to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on his way out.

McDonnell suggested that Hu's health could be the reason he was led out, adding: "Only two possibilities really: power politics on display or #HuJintao is quite ill. From the body language of those to his left, Li Zhanshu etc, I think most likely is that his health is not good."

Danson Cheong, Beijing-based correspondent for The Straits Times, shared a video of the scene and wrote: "Early drama: Hu Jintao seen being led out soon after reporters are led into the main hall."

"Highly unusual, Hu didn't seem to want to leave," he added.

"What is going on here with former Chinese Premier Hu Jintao?
*worried*" wrote Mark Stephens, chair of nonprofit Internews.

"That's the last I expect anyone will see of former president Hu Jintao, dragged away before Xi Jinping is given a third term in office/bashes down the door to being president for life," wrote Rupert Myers, a U.K. lawyer and political commentator.

Ananth Krishnan, correspondent for The Hindu, shared a video of the incident, writing: "Clearer footage of Hu Jintao leaving the closing ceremony, who appears to me both unwell and unwilling to leave."

Chris Zappone, digital foreign editor at The Age, wrote that Hu was "basically frog-marched out of the Great Hall of the People—as Xi looks on blandly."

"Footage showed that the staff first picked up Hu Jintao's glasses," Zappone added in another tweet, sharing a video of the incident. "When trying to help him, Hu Jintao withdrew his right hand, and then Hu Jintao reached out to take the document on Xi Jinping's stage, and the staff immediately stopped him. Afterwards, Xi Jinping turned his head."

Tom Hancock, China economy reporter at Bloomberg, wrote that the makeup of the new Communist Party central committee was being "overshadowed at the moment by the remarkable sight of Hu Jintao being led away from the congress without explanation."

AFP senior economics editor Laurent Thomet noted that Hu's removal was important whatever the reason might have been.

"Whatever the reasons, the symbolism is huge: two-term leader Hu Jintao and the succession system he embodied are escorted out of the building. The New Era," Thomet wrote.

Newsweek has asked the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment.