Video: China’s Ex-President Escorted Out, Sat Next To Xi Jinping

Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao, the immediate predecessor of Xi Jinping, was unexpectedly escorted out of the closing ceremony of a Communist Party congress on Saturday.

Two stewards led Hu, 79, who was seated to the left of Xi, off the stage at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, a Reuters witness said.

When Hu was assisted onto the same stage last Sunday for the opening ceremony, he appeared unsteady.

A once-in-five-year party congress ended with amendments to the constitution cementing Xi’s core status and the guiding role of his political thought.