Former China Leader Hu Abruptly Leaves Xi’s Side at Congress

  • Hu Jintao, 79, looks confused, leaving stage mid-way through
  • Unscripted moment came as Xi set up his coveted third term
Hu Jintao, center, speaks with Xi Jinping, right, prior to leaving the conference hall on Oct. 22.Source: Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Former Chinese leader Hu Jintao was escorted off stage during the closing session of a major Communist Party congress, where the 79-year-old had been prominently seated next to President Xi Jinping.

Hu was helped out of his seat about halfway through proceedings in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Saturday, in a dramatic moment both captured on camera and witnessed by more than 2,000 people present.