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Rumor That Xi Jinping Suffered a Stroke Debunked as False, Summit Schedule Completed as Planned
Reporter 欧亚时报编辑部
After the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, concluded on September 12-13, rumors began circulating on social media claiming Xi Jinping had "suddenly suffered a stroke" during the summit and, upon returning to Beijing, was rushed for treatment to the PLA General Hospital, commonly known as "301 Hospital." The rumors cited posts by Xie Wanjun, chairman of the exiled China Democracy Party, on the platform X, and were accompanied by a clip in which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to ask Xi twice during summit proceedings whether he was "okay" — sparking widespread discussion for a time on the Chinese-language internet and among some overseas Chinese-language media.
After checking multiple sources, as of September 16 there was no independently verifiable medical record, official statement, image or video evidence, or named medical source confirming that Xi Jinping suffered a stroke or was hospitalized. Xie Wanjun's post on X was flagged with a "Community Notes" label warning that the content lacked reliable supporting evidence. India's Ministry of External Affairs fact-checking unit subsequently issued a specific statement labeling the online rumors that several attending leaders, including Xi, had fallen "unwell" after the summit as "malicious posts" and "misleading information," and cautioned the public against similar false claims.
At the same time, official Chinese itinerary records show Xi's schedule during the summit proceeded as normal: he not only attended the summit's Session II and delivered remarks, but also held a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Modi, took part in a joint tree-planting activity with BRICS leaders, and visited the "Bharat Innovates" exhibition, before leaving New Delhi for Beijing on September 13 after the visit "concluded successfully." These activities were all publicly reported through official channels such as China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Xinhua News Agency, clearly contradicting the online claims that he "flew back early" or had his itinerary "cut short."
Notably, this rumor is not an isolated incident. In recent years, similar rumors about Xi Jinping's health have periodically emerged whenever he has gone an unusually long stretch without a public appearance; earlier versions have alleged a "brain tumor" or that he had been "sidelined," but each was subsequently shown to lack basis by his later public activities, speeches and diplomatic meetings. Observers note that because Chinese authorities have never routinely disclosed information about leaders' health, this lack of transparency objectively provides fertile ground for such rumors to spread, even though the rumors themselves typically lack reliable supporting sources.
As of now, apart from the fact-check statement from India's Ministry of External Affairs, Chinese official channels have not issued a specific, direct response or statement addressing the "stroke" rumor itself, though his subsequent public schedule is seen as having already refuted the rumor at the factual level.
