Since June 11, when Beijing reported on its coronavirus cases, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) top leaders have rarely appeared in public settings, making people wonder where they are. As a result, the country lacks leadership direction on several hot issues such as Beijing’s coronavirus outbreak, the flood threat in many provinces, and the border clash with India.
#1: Apple Daily reported on June 23 that though ten provinces in China suffered heavy rain and flooding since the beginning of June, no national-level leader went to any disaster area to check on the situation and on the rescue work.
Xi Jinping had only four publicly reported activities in the month of June:
- Public Appearance – June 2: Participated in a panel discussion with experts and scholars in Beijing
- Public Appearance – June 8 to 10: Visited the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
- Video Appearance – June 17: Participated in the China-Africa Video Summit
- Video Appearance – June 22: Participated in the China-Europe Video Summit
Li Keqiang had two activities in the month of June:
- Public Appearance – June 1 to 2: Visited Shandong Province
- Public Appearance – June 15: Attended the “Cloud” Opening Ceremony of the Canton Fair (China’s largest trade fair)
#2: Epoch Times listed the reported activities of the seven CCP Politburo Standing Committee’s Members one by one, in the month of June (till June 22 when the article was written), and pointed out:
- Xi Jinping had two public appearances before June 11 and two video appearances after.
- Li Keqiang had one public appearance before June 11 and one after.
- Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the National People’s Congress, hosted a Standing Committee’s meeting of the National People’s Congress in Beijing after June 11.
- Wan Yang, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), visited Xinjiang and hosted two CPPCC meetings in Beijing after June 11.
- Wang Hu’ning, in charge of communist ideology and propaganda, participated in one video conference after June 11.
- Han Zheng, Vice Premier, hosted a meeting of the Winter Olympics in Beijing after June 11.
- Zhao Leji, head of the CCP’s Central Commission of Disciplinary Inspection, had no activity in the month of June.
The article suggested that all seven top CCP officials may be hiding outside of Beijing. Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, and Han Zheng might have come back to Beijing for a few days to host their meetings. (Epoch Times)
#3: A recent Epoch Times report mentioned that top leaders held only a few activities before June 29:
- (Maybe a video conference?) – June 29: Xi Jinping hosted a CCP Politburo meeting. Xinhua provided a report with only text but no images. China Central Television (CCTV) didn’t cover it, so this may have been a “cloud” meeting.
- Public Appearance – June 28: Li Keqiang hosted a State Council meeting on stabilizing the export business. Han Zheng also attended the meeting.
- Public Appearance – June 28 to 30: Li Zhanshu passed the Hong Security Act at the National People’s Congress Standing Committee meeting.
- Public Appearance – June 24: Wang Yang participated in a CPPCC Standing Committee meeting.
Related postings on Chinascope:
- Leadership: Xi Jinping Went to Shanxi Province While Sidelining the Commander of Beijing Garrison
- Leadership: An Internet Posting That Defended Xi Jinping
- Leadership: China’s Secret Service Is Monitoring Top Leader of Each Party and Government Organ
- Leadership: Xi Warned to Prepare for Changes in the External Environment
- Leadership: Is Xi Jinping in Trouble in the CCP Internal Fight?
1. Excerpts in Chinese:
而本月初，中國南方暴雨成災，江南大部、華南中北部和西南地區東部等地連日降雨，廣東、廣西、福建、浙江、江西、湖南、貴州、雲南8個省區以及110條河流，均出現超越警戒線以上的洪水。及至本周，貴州、重慶至長江中下游一帶暴雨加劇，當中位於重慶境內的一段綦江，更出現1940年以來的最大洪峯，最高水位更超過1998年長江水災的水平。中國水利部分析預測，今年長江中下游洪水情況不容太樂觀。然而，卻未見有國家領導人動身，前往災區視察災情或指揮抗洪。
究竟這幾天，多位國家領導人去了哪兒？從黨媒的報道來看，自本月11日北京公佈新增本土病，之後疫情愈演愈烈，中共高層已很少公開活動。習近平本月2日曾在北京參加專家學者座談會並講話，6月8日至10日在寧夏考察。之後的2次露面，是6月17日晚參加中非視頻峯會及6月22日的中歐視頻峰會，但並非公眾露面。
即使今日傳出長江沿岸10省暴雨成災，6億人恐怕正在面臨三峽大壩隨時會潰堤的危機，習近平亦只是透過視頻，在全國禁毒工作先進集體和先進個人表彰會議上作出指示，卻未見有就水災災情有任何表示。
至於李克強，6月1日至2日，李克強在山東省煙台、青島考察，在外地露面；本月15日在北京出席廣交會「雲開幕」儀式，屬於公眾露面。其餘幾次視頻會議，也並非公眾露面。
Source: Apple Daily, June 23, 2020
https://hk.appledaily.com/china/20200623/2BJ4J6NBA4BHSPERD2PRH2XDTE/
2. Excerpts in Chinese:
从以上中共党媒的报导看出，6月11日北京公布新增病例前后，中共高层的公开活动很少。
习近平6月2日曾在北京参加专家学者座谈会并讲话，6月8日至10日，他在宁夏考察。之后的2次露面，是6月17日晚参加中非视频峰会及6月22日的中欧视频峰会，并非公众露面。
李克强6月15日在北京出席广交会“云开幕”仪式，属于公众露面。6月1日至2日，李克强在山东省烟台、青岛考察，在外地露面。其余几次视频会议，并非公众露面。
栗战书和汪洋，不得不戴着口罩参加人大和政协会议，汪洋还在新疆调研露面1次，此外再没有公众露面的活动。
王沪宁仅参加2次视频会议，并非公众露面。
韩正6月12日主持冬奥会工作领导小组会议，之后再无报导。6月初，他在外地调研，并在6月3日在北京会见林郑月娥，但没有提供画面，仅有文字。
赵乐际6月份没有活动报导。
中共高层们是否还在北京市内，应该可以得出结论了。习近平很可能不在北京，仅参加个别视频会议。李克强很可能也不在北京，仅临时到北京参见1次开幕仪式，其余都是视频会议。
栗战书和汪洋，也可能不在北京，但人大、政协开会，不得不临时戴口罩到场。王沪宁、赵乐际、韩正现在可能都不在北京。
中共高层7常委，可能都离开了北京，分散躲避瘟疫。万不得已的场合，他们才个别回到北京亮相。
Source: Epoch Times, June 22, 2020
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/20/6/22/n12204828.htm
3. Excerpts in Chinese:
6月29日，习近平主持了中共政治局会议，审议了“中共军队党建条例”和“基层组织选举条例”。报导没有提供这次会议的图片。党媒央视也进行了报导，但没有任何画面，仅进行了文字报导。
这表明，中共政治局并未真正坐在一起开会，最大可能是召开了视频“云会议” 。
6月28日，李克强应该是刻意回到北京，主持召开了稳外贸工作座谈会。韩正也戴口罩出席。
6月24日，李克强曾主持召开国务院常务会议，没有看到画面或图片，央视也继续以文字报导，可以断定为视频会议。更重要的国务院常务会议，李克强都不现身，却偏偏亲自出席一个无关紧要的外贸工作座谈会，自然有蹊跷。
实际上，这显然是故意安排的露面，很可能是李克强亲自要求露面。
但中共又要强推《港版国安法》，栗战书不得不每天进京参加人大会议，汪洋也曾不得不参加政协会议。李克强本无需露面，却故意拉着韩正在一个无关紧要的座谈会上露面，显示存在感的涵义颇深。
Source: Epoch Times, June 30, 2020
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/20/6/29/n12219887.htm