BEIJING — Xi Jinping is expected to become the next leader of China, making him one of the most powerful men on the planet. But right now, no one outside the inner circles of power in Beijing is quite sure where he can be found.
Owing to the murky nature of Chinese officialdom, it’s not clear whether the fact that Xi hasn’t been seen for more than a week points to scandal or, more probably, nothing at all. There has been no obvious sign of disruption in the government, though the recent lack of visibility by Xi in the runup to his taking the reins of the world’s second-largest economy has raised eyebrows.
The question of his whereabouts first arose last Wednesday, when his scheduled meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was canceled. The same thing happened that day for a meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
There was immediate speculation that the Chinese government had snubbed Clinton in a fit of diplomatic pique about what it sees as the United States’ overly aggressive involvement in Beijing’s territorial disputes with neighbors in the South China Sea. That narrative, however, didn’t quite fit: Vice Premier Li Keqiang substituted for Xi, and Clinton’s visit also included meetings with the Chinese president and premier.
Asked about Xi during a joint news conference with Clinton last Wednesday, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi responded: “The current schedule of the secretary’s visit has been agreed by the two sides. I hope people will not add unnecessary speculation.”
There were reports that Xi, 59, had hurt his back while playing soccer. Or perhaps while swimming.