President Donald Trump with China’s President Xi Jinping
Fresh questions have emerged over Chinese President Xi Jinping’s health after unusual arrangements made for him to rest during his recent summit with US President Donald Trump, reported by Wall Street Journal.
Chinese officials also turned down a planned working lunch between Xi and Trump on September 24, the only full day of his Washington visit, saying they wanted more time for Xi to rest. No official engagements were planned for him on the evening of his arrival following a roughly 14-hour flight from Beijing, while his visit to the US National Archives the following day lasted only about 10 minutes, far shorter than initially planned, according to the WSJ.
The most unusual detail was the request for a private “hold room” inside the White House’s West Wing. Xi’s wife Peng Liyuan was reportedly the only other person allowed inside the room, while even Cai Qi, a senior member of Xi’s delegation and his chief of staff, was not permitted to use it, according to the WSJ. During the opening session in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefly appeared to check on Xi, asking his interpreter, “Is it okay?” after the Chinese president appeared uncomfortable.
The decision created a roughly five-hour gap in the summit schedule. The unusual scheduling was also visible elsewhere in Xi’s itinerary. BRICS summit The latest report has also brought renewed attention to Xi’s health during his recent visit to India for the BRICS summit.