Analysis: Reoccurring Rare Hiccups During ‘Two Sessions’ Add to China’s Perplexing Political Climate

Xi Jinping is under question by the party, a potential risk to his position, political observers say

Security stand at the doorway as a delgate walks in the auditorium before the opening of the NPC, or National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 5, 2024 in Beijing, China. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

News Analysis

The ongoing Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) two sessions have been increasingly marked by attention-grabbing anomalies, including rare episodes like CCP leader Xi Jinping’s minutes-long lecture to a senior official, a black sedan barging into the main gate of Zhongnanhai, and a woman rushing to the podium at a press conference.

Following speculation over possible health problems for Xi, sparked by his atypical behavior at the two sessions—the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a rash of unusual hiccups emerged, adding to concerns about China’s elusive and nerve-wracking political situation.

Usually, at such rubber-stamped legislatures, Xi and other communist senior officials would remain seated unmoved without expression on their faces and even rarely flip through documents in front of them. However, on March 8, during the second plenary session of the NPC, Chinese decision-makers seem to have found something unusually out of place in listening to a report—despite being reviewed—and made a rare private discussion.

Hong Kong media outlet Ming Pao captured this rare episode and sketched the behaviors of a group of China’s top echelons in an article published on March 9.

According to the coverage, when Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme Court, was reading his report, Li Qiang, the premier of the State Council, seemed to have noticed something wrong. He turned around and exchanged words with Xi. Later, Wang Huning, CPPCC’s chairman, who was sitting on Mr. Li’s left-hand side, took part in the discussion. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong and Beijing Municipal Party Secretary Yin Li joined the conversation.

Afterward, Xi spent most of the time reading the report and even took out his pen to write a few words on it. Mr. Li and Wang Huning exchanged views from time to time, with Xi interjecting occasionally. Another vice premier Ding Xuexiang sitting next to Mr. Wang, also made inquiries, while vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also spoke briefly.

When Ying Yong, procurator general of the Supreme Procuratorate, started to make a report, Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC’s Standing Committee, who was sitting on the other side of Xi, joined the discussion.

At that time, Xi picked up the report and asked Mr. Zhao about something. His expression appeared severe, and he pointed at the report and even knocked on the table. Xi gave a three-minute lecture to Mr. Zhao, during which Mr. Zhao leaned over and listened. Xi finally tapped the report on the table and ended the conversation, while Mr. Zhao immediately put down his pen and started taking notes.

Mr. Zhao did not raise his head until Mr. Ying finished his report.

Although there is no way of knowing the reasons for the CCP leader’s dissatisfaction with the report, an atmosphere of terror enveloped the podium, and everyone in the audience was sitting upright and scared, as observed by U.S.-based current affairs analyst Chen Pokong.

Mr. Chen indicated that the disturbing atmosphere is reminiscent of another official treated with indifference by Xi.

At the twentieth National Congress closing ceremony in October 2022, former leader Hu Jintao intended to check the documents but was prevented from doing so by Li Zhanshu, the then chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC. Hu Jintao was then escorted away from the venue in front of the audience.

“All the officials felt very nervous when the heads interacted on the podium. What exactly happened would be kept a secret from the outside,” Mr. Chen added.

According to Mr. Chen’s analysis, apart from the problems with the report, one possibility cannot be ruled out: Xi is deliberately putting up a show. Noticing the presence of foreign media, he intentionally started to give orders and employed a lengthy reprimand to Mr. Zhao.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang (bottom L) stands at the podium during his speech at the opening of the NPC, or National People's Congress, at the Great Hall of the People on March 5, 2024 in Beijing, China. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Providing a different interpretation, Wang Juntao, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Democratic Party, told The Epoch Times on March 11 that Xi might have different views on the content of the report and that he might have explained the main points beforehand. Still, Mr. Li Qiang and Mr. Zhao needed to follow his instructions.

Mr. Wang continued that before Xi came to power, each member of the Politburo Standing Committee was in charge of an administrative area, and each part of the working report was taken up and discussed by the corresponding member.

“But after Xi assumed power, all decisions had to revolve around him, and he was bound to issue some instructions. Li Qiang might have discussed the relevant parts with Zhao Leji and adopted his views. Xi may be furious upon discovering that the report did not align with his intentions.” Mr. Wang surmised.

Two Other Incidents

On March 6, the second session of the NPC held a press conference on the theme of economy, which CCTV, the official party media, broadcast live.

On March 10, a video circulated online that appeared to be footage that CCTV deleted during the broadcast. It showed that after the moderator announced the end of the meeting, a woman in a gray coat seated in the first row suddenly got up and rushed to the podium. However, as soon as she stepped on the first step, security guards on her left and right knocked her to the ground.

The woman’s identity has yet to be confirmed. The video showed her raising her hand to ask questions repeatedly throughout the press conference. Some netizens said that the person sitting in the first row is usually a party media worker or reporter the CCP trusts, while others speculated that the woman may have been acting for personal reasons; otherwise, she would be unlikely to take the risk.

Another incident happened at Xinhua Gate, on the north side of West Chang'an Street in the Xicheng district of Beijing. Xinhua Gate is the main gate of Zhongnanhai, the seat of the Central Committee and the State Council, and the symbol of the CCP’s highest administrative power.

On March 10, a video on the social media platform X went viral. According to the video, a black sedan rushed towards the Xinhua Gate of Zhongnanhai.

The driver was immediately overpowered by security personnel, who quickly surrounded the vehicle and was immediately dragged away from the scene. As seen in the video, the car was very close to the main gate of Xinhua Gate.

The Epoch Times couldn’t independently verify the authenticity of the two videos.

As the two sessions are highly publicized meetings of the CCP, Beijing’s security measures become incredibly tight during them. Even dissidents are asked to go on “tours” outside the city and are not allowed to return until after the sessions. Therefore, the posting of the video immediately aroused widespread concern among netizens.

The video immediately sparked widespread skepticism among netizens. Some thought that this might be the case for a citizen with grievances who had no way to petition the government and chose to storm the Xinhua Gate to vent his anger.

However, some analysts argue that this is unlikely a move by ordinary citizens, given the tight security measures in a sensitive place like Zhongnanhai.

A Tense CCP Political Atmosphere

According to Mr. Chen, the two sessions were marked by strange phenomena. The truth of these incidents has yet to be revealed, and Beijing will never take the initiative to explain them.

“Without disseminating such information on the Internet, I’m afraid people would not know about it. It’s like Hu Jintao being driven away from the scene of the party’s congress, a scene that would have been lost to the world had it not been for the presence of foreign journalists.”

He believes that “behind the red wall, there is still much-veiled to the world, there are only things we cannot imagine, but there is nothing they cannot do.”

The CCP’s gatherings are heading towards a more frightening and bizarre atmosphere, echoing its precarious political situation, as per Mr. Chen.

Mr. Wang shared similar views on this point, suggesting that the communist party’s political atmosphere has been horrifying and tense for a long time, especially after Xi ascended to power and launched purges of his rivals in the name of the so-called anti-corruption.

“But Xi Jinping has not yet achieved ‘one-man dominance’ as he desired, and he is still facing various hindrances within the party, and these people will challenge him on numerous occasions,” Mr. Wang cited that Hu Jintao’s removal from the scene was Xi’s response to such a challenge from a political patrician.

Additionally, Mr. Wang disputes the notion that Xi’s current dictatorship is secure, “judging from some clues, this is untrue. Xi Jinping is practically incapable of eliminating opposing voices, yet he does not allow a murmur to exist. This means he cannot take the full helm at the situation.”

“He (Xi Jinping) is being questioned by the party, which may pose a significant risk to his position.”

Xin Ning contributed to this report.