Party emergency procedures in the event Xi Jinping passed away or became incapacitated

 Direct translation

Did Xi Jinping suddenly pass away or become incapacitated? Party emergency procedures

Reporter : Wang Duran / Editor: Fang Xun / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/1010/2288967.html

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pyongyang on a chartered flight at noon on the 9th for a three-day visit when news suddenly broke that Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping had suffered a stroke and was undergoing emergency treatment.

According to Du Wen, former executive director of the Legal Advisory Office of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government and a self-media personality, he revealed on a program at 7 pm Beijing time on October 9th (7 am Eastern Time) that evening that Xi Jinping had suffered a stroke in Beijing that day and was in extremely critical condition. Du Wen also pointed out that if Li Qiang was urgently recalled, it would mean Xi Jinping's condition was serious; if Li Qiang continued to make public appearances in North Korea, it could mean he was simply feeling unwell or was out of danger.

Du Wen emphasized that this information was currently from a single source and had not been independently confirmed, but given the gravity of the situation, it must be disclosed in advance for observation. The latest news from Beijing time on the 10th was reported on page 1 of the People's Daily on the 10th: Li Qiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, met with Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission, in Pyongyang on the afternoon of the 9th local time.

Qin Peng, a political commentator living in the United States, analyzed, "Li Qiang isn't the successor, so why rush him back?" From a constitutional perspective, the 1982 Constitution stipulates that in the absence of the President, the Vice President shall act; in the absence of the Vice President, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress shall act. However, this applies only to the President and does not directly cover the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee or the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Furthermore, this has never been truly tested in practice. For example, after Liu Shaoqi was dismissed in 1968, the presidency remained vacant for a long time, with Song Qingling and Dong Biwu acting in part.

If Xi Jinping suddenly dies or becomes incapacitated, it will typically be handled through emergency procedures within the Party. The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee will immediately convene an emergency meeting to elect a new General Secretary; the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress will then designate an acting President; and the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission may temporarily oversee military affairs. The entire process will be highly confidential and likely completed within a few days to maintain regime stability. Qin Peng believes that even if Xi Jinping does die, the Party's elders will likely first select a successor, keeping the death a secret, and then hold a symbolic meeting to announce the death after Li Qiang's visit.

Aboluowang commentator Wang Duran stated that as of 7.30 pm ET on the 9th, this information still came from a single source and had not been confirmed by other channels. There were no signs of any unusual activity with Li Qiang's schedule, and Xi Jinping has been repeatedly rumored to have suffered a stroke. The official announcement by the Chinese Communist Party that Xi Jinping will attend the Global Women's Summit on October 13th will be a key signal for outside observers of his health.