Whereabouts of Top Chinese Officials Unknown During Beijing Virus Outbreak

The Chinese Communist Party's new Politburo Standing Committee, the nation's top decision-making body (L-R) Han Zheng, Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, Wang Yang and Zhao Leji meet the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 25, 2017. Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

Since June 11, the city of Beijing began to report new cases of CCP virus infections, and the outbreak has intensified. Beijing did not dare to publicly announce closures in the city, but it has implemented lockdown measures. Since the outbreak first began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, Beijing became the most important place for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to protect—as it is the seat of power. If Beijing falls, high-level officials may have to evacuate, so a power vacuum is likely to occur within the CCP—and the consequences would be unimaginable.