BEIJING / OP-ED: In the opaque corridors of Zhongnanhai, where power is wielded behind closed doors and silence often speaks louder than proclamations, rumors of Xi Jinping’s declining health have begun to ripple through Chinese and international media. While the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) remains characteristically tight-lipped, a confluence of reports suggests that the once unassailable image of Xi as China’s “Chairman of Everything” may be showing signs of strain.
Recent footage of Xi appearing unsteady during state visits, coupled with visible signs such as a head tremor and a scar on his scalp, have fueled speculation of a possible stroke A B. These physical indicators, though unconfirmed, have coincided with a noticeable reduction in his public appearances and a surge in behind-the-scenes maneuvering within the Party’s upper echelons.
Independent commentators, including Cai Shenkun—who accurately predicted the downfall of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu—have reported that senior Party elders are pressuring Xi to step down, possibly as early as the Fourth Plenary Session in August A C. A leaked list of potential successors includes Ding Xuexiang, Xi’s long-time aide, and Chen Jining, the Shanghai Party Secretary. Both men are deeply embedded in Xi’s political orbit, yet their elevation would mark a significant shift in the CCP’s internal dynamics.
The timing of these developments is no coincidence. China is grappling with a confluence of crises: a faltering economy battered by a 145% tariff war, a collapsing real estate sector, and mounting local government debt estimated at 90 trillion yuan B. These pressures have not only eroded public confidence but also emboldened anti-Xi factions within the Party, who may see his health issues as an opportunity to recalibrate the leadership structure.
Historically, the CCP has navigated leadership transitions with a mix of ritualized opacity and ruthless pragmatism. Mao Zedong’s declining health in the 1970s led to factional chaos, while Deng Xiaoping’s carefully managed succession plans ushered in relative stability. Xi, however, dismantled the very norms that once ensured orderly transitions—abolishing term limits and centralizing power to an unprecedented degree. Now, the absence of a clear succession mechanism may prove to be his greatest vulnerability.
If Xi is indeed preparing to anoint a successor, it would mark a dramatic reversal from his previous posture of indefinite rule. It may also reflect a recognition that the challenges facing China—both internal and external—require a recalibration of leadership. Whether this transition, if it occurs, will be smooth or tumultuous remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the myth of Xi’s invincibility is beginning to fray, and with it, the illusion of monolithic stability within the CCP.
In the end, the question is not merely who will succeed Xi, but whether the system he has so thoroughly personalized can survive his eventual departure intact.
[The opinions expressed in this article are of the author. Europeantimes.org takes no responsibility for the same.]
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Khedroob Thondup
Khedroob Thondup is the son of Gyalo Thondup, elder brother of the Dalai Lama. Educated at St. Stephens College Delhi University and the University of San Francisco. He was a personal assistant to the Dalai Lama and accompanied him on his first trip to the U.S. in 1979. He was sent by the Dalai Lama to Beijing from 1980 till 1993 for dialogue talks where he interacted with Xi Zhongxun and Hu Jintao. He has served as Member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile for three terms and is the President of the Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre Darjeeling since 1987. He has edited two books, Dalai Lama My Son and Tibet in Turmoil and presently lives in Taipei, Taiwan.
