Rumors have been circulating both inside and outside China suggesting that Xi Jinping’s hold on power may be weakening. From May 21 till today (June 3), Xi has been notably absent from public view for fourteen consecutive days, prompting widespread speculation among political analysts.
A review of China’s two main state-run media outlets – Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily – shows that Xi’s last public appearance occurred on May 20, during an inspection tour in Luoyang, Henan Province. Since then, he has not been seen participating in any public events.
Since then, state media coverage of Xi has been limited to reports of letters and phone calls with foreign leaders or reprints of his previous speeches. For instance, on May 27, Xi sent a congratulatory letter to the 9th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Young Pioneers, and on May 29, he signed an order to issue the “Regulations on Military Scientific Research Awards.” By the end of May, People’s Daily – the CCP’s flagship publication – had gone several consecutive days without featuring any images of Xi.
Typically, news about Xi dominates the front pages of official newspapers. However, on both June 2 and 3, the front page of People’s Daily has no story about him – an unusual break from the norm, as it usually includes at least one, if not several, reports featuring Xi on its front page.
Source: Epoch Times, June 3, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/6/3/n14523170.htm