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Speculation is once again on the rise regarding Xi Jinping's health, as he arrived in the US for a state visit with President Donald Trump.
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he → see → Trump
Trump personally greeted the Chinese leader on the tarmac after his arrival on Wednesday, the first time in more than six decades that a US president has welcomed a foreign political leader at Joint Base Andrews near Washington.
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president → greet → Washington
As Xi descended his plane, viewers online were quick to point out that he appeared to tightly clutch his wife's hand, as if needing extra support on the stairs.
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he → descend → stairs
It comes as just last week at the BRICS summit in India, Xi skipped a gala because he was unwell, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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he → come → Journal
Wanjun Xie, the exiled chairman of the China Democracy Party, took to X to comment on today's video:
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Xie → exile → video
'If you look closely, you'll see that as Xi Jinping descended the aircraft stairs, his left hand tightly gripped Peng Liyuan's right hand.
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hand → look → hand
'Peng Liyuan used her right hand to support Xi Jinping and prevent him from falling.
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Liyuan → use → him
If Peng Liyuan hadn't been supporting Xi Jinping's left hand, his left arm would have drooped, his left leg would have been weak, and his body would have tilted to the left.
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body → support → left
Xi Jinping's symptoms clearly indicate the aftereffects of a stroke.'
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symptoms → indicate → stroke
Another Chinese activist account wrote: 'Everyone, please watch this video carefully.
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account → write → video
As Xi descended his plane, viewers online were quick to point out that he appeared to tightly clutch his wife's hand, as if needing extra support on the stairs
One Chinese activist account wrote: 'Everyone, please watch this video carefully'
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account → descend → video
When Xi Jinping got off the plane, he was unable to effectively support the full weight of his body and had to forcefully grab Peng Liyuan's hand.'
Meanwhile, another video appeared to show Trump wincing as a loud military flyover passed overhead, while Xi showed no reaction.
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Xi → get → reaction
One person on X commented: 'This is strange, perhaps Xi has heart problems and is on a sedative,' while another wrote, 'Xi must be deaf or too far gone from age then.'
This is not the first time the Chinese leader has been dogged by health rumours, with many speculating over the years that he has suffered a heart attack, been diagnosed with cancer, and survived a stroke.
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he → comment → stroke
Last week during the BRICS summit in India, conspiracy theories spread after a video appeared to show Indian PM Narendra Modi pause a speech to check on the wellbeing of his Chinese counterpart.
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Modi → spread → counterpart
The viral footage shows Modi stopping his opening speech at the BRICS summit, and turning towards Xi, after a commotion appeared to catch his attention.
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commotion → show → attention
'Is it okay?' Modi repeatedly asks the translator accompanying the Chinese leader, as several people appearing to be aides or members of staff are seen rushing towards him.
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people → ask → him
Later in the day, Xi skipped the gala dinner hosted by Modi for leaders of the BRICS nations - where ally Vladimir Putin was also in attendance - spurring commentary about his ill health.
It turns out the exchange at the summit wasn't because Xi was ill, but rather because his earpiece, through which he could hear his translator, was not working.
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he → skip → translator
However, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, he skipped the gala because he was unwell, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi attending in his place.
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Yi → accord → place
Theories previously reached a peak in 2012, after Xi mysteriously disappeared for two weeks when he was still the country's vice-president - fuelling rumours that he had potentially been the subject of an attempted assassination.
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he → reach → assassination
While the rumours about his ill health are often promptly disproved, online speculation about Xi still runs rampant.
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speculation → disprove → Xi
In July 2024, a photo of the Chinese leader supposedly wincing in pain went viral on social media, with people claiming that he had suffered a stroke.
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he → wince → stroke
It turned out the image was taken from four months before, and the Chinese president was merely reacting to something he had drunk while at the National People's Congress.
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he → turn → Congress
In September 2025, a hot mic caught Putin discussing immortality during a summit with Xi and Kim Jong Un in Beijing, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
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Putin → catch → II
The pair were heard chatting about the possibility of achieving immortality with organ transplants and advanced medical procedures.
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pair → hear → transplants
Even before Xi became president, his health was a popular topic of speculation in the country, particularly among critics of the communist regime.
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health → become → regime
Another video appeared to show Trump wincing as a loud military flyover passed overhead, while Xi showed no reaction
This is despite the fact that the high level of internet censorship in China means that anything deemed a criticism of Xi or the Chinese Communist Party is blocked or immediately removed.
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anything → appear → Xi
Leaders' health is typically considered a state secret in China.
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health → consider → China
Donald Trump set the tone on Wednesday when he and Melania met the Chinese presidential couple on a red carpet at Joint Base Andrews, before a military band played the national anthems and US bombers flew noisily overhead.
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bombers → set → anthems
'I thought it was a great little meeting, a great greeting, and I think they appreciate it,' Trump told reporters - brushing off the fact that Xi had not welcomed him at the airport for his Beijing state visit in May.
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Xi → think → May
Trump confirmed that his stalled Iran war would be on the agenda, despite earlier playing down reports that Beijing was giving Tehran intelligence.
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Beijing → confirm → intelligence
'I'll be talking about that and many other subjects - but it's all coming along well, including that,' Trump said.
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Trump → talk → that
Artificial intelligence is also set to dominate the summit amid growing fears that it risks wiping out humanity - even as China and the United States race for supremacy in the field.
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China → set → field
Taiwan will also be on the cards, with Trump's words likely to be watched for any sign of diminishing US support for the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its territory.
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Beijing → watch → territory
Xi's visit will wrap up on Friday morning when the two presidential couples have tea at the White House and then visit the National Archives, home to the US Declaration of Independence.
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couples → wrap → Independence
The Aporia
