Former Chinese President Hu Jintao was led out of the Communist Party Congress closing ceremony.
The frail-looking 79-year-old was sitting next to President Xi Jinping when he was confronted by officials and escorted away. There was no clarification.
The party is anticipated to affirm Mr Xi, 69, for a landmark third term following its week-long congress.
The activity, held every five years in Beijing, solidified his place as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.
Hu Jintao, who presided over China from 2003 to 2013, was on stage just before two officials confronted him.
He stated something to Xi Jinping, who responded with a nod. Mr Hu was then led from the Great Hall of the People.
People around the world are watching video of Hu Jintao being requested to leave the stage, trying to figure out what just happened. So far, the Chinese government has provided no answers to many questions.
At one point, the country’s former head appeared hesitant to move. Why, if that’s the circumstance? What did he say to his successor, Xi Jinping, that prompted a nod from China’s current president, and also what did he say to his protégé Li Keqing as he got off the stage?
The two most likely explanations for his departing are that it was either part of China’s power politics on center stage, with a leader representing a bygone era symbolically removed, or that Hu Jintao suffers from serious health issues.
If he had been led away due to illness, why did it happen so quickly? Why did you do it in front of the cameras? Was there an emergency?
A lengthier edit of today’s footage shows Xi Jinping turning to the former Party Chairman, as well as senior figures Li Zhanshu as well as Wang Huning looking concerned to Mr Hu’s left.
The Communist Party’s widespread meetings are usually highly scripted events, raising speculation that Hu Jintao’s exit was not an accident.
He was present at the earlier closed-door meeting on the last day of the Congress, then cameras were permitted in for the closing portion of the day. It soon after the cameras had set up that officials approached Mr Hu signalling that he should go.
Hu Jintao represents an entirely different China than Xi Jinping. He was in charge of a much more collective leadership and had to strike a balance between the various groups reflected on the Politburo Standing Committee.
The Hu years were regarded as a period of increased openness to the external world and tolerance for new ideas.
Relatively early on Saturday, 205 high ranking party officials were elected to the Central Committee. Delegates approved alterations to the party constitution that support Mr. Xi’s concepts as core elements for China’s future.
In his opening remarks to the Congress last Sunday, he lauded the crushing of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement as a transition from “turmoil to governance.” He also affirms China’s right to use force to seize Taiwan’s self-rule.
As Party General Secretary, Xi has led the country in a completely different direction, with him at the “core” and incapable of being challenged.
The new Central Committee includes neither Li Keqiang or Wang Yang, both of whom are considered economic liberals and are associated with the ideas of the previous administration. This suggests a new Politburo Standing Committee stacked with Xi supporters.
Mr. Xi currently holds the leadership roles of Communist Party General Secretary, President, as well as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He is also known as the Paramount or Supreme Leader.
He is anticipated to be officially named for a third term as general secretary on Sunday, as well as to unveil his new steering committee.
In 2018, he repealed the presidential two-term limit, allowing him to rule indefinitely.
