China Briefing | Why do China’s leaders holiday in secret?
The leadership’s annual sojourns in Beidaihe have been key to many of the most momentous changes in the country’s history – so the frenzied speculation that surrounds them should come as no surprise
Last week, US President Barack Obama hit a milestone in golf – his 300th round since taking office. He did so in Martha’s Vineyard, a favourite summer haunt of American presidents and the rich.
At the same time, the top Chinese leaders were probably swimming in polluted seawater or lounging on an exclusive stretch of beach in their favourite summer retreat of Beidaihe, 280km east of Beijing.
The difference is that while Obama achieved his dubious honour trailed by reporters and television cameras as he enjoyed the last summer holiday of his presidency, the Chinese state media made no mention of their own leaders’ holidays despite the disappearance from public view of President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Premier Li Keqiang ( 李克強 ) since the beginning of August.
The only sign the Chinese leaders had begun their holidays came on Friday when Xinhua reported Liu Yunshan ( 劉雲山 ), the propaganda tsar and one of the Communist Party’s seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, met a group of scholars invited to holiday at the resort. Xinhua emphasised Liu was there on Xi’s behalf.