The Chinese leader’s special requests at the White House revive speculation about his health

Speculation about the health of Chinese President Xi Jinping has resurfaced in foreign media following reports of several unusual requests during his visit to Washington at the end of September.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Chinese officials asked the White House to prepare a special private space during the visit where Xi could rest between engagements.

In that space, according to the report, only Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, stayed, while other members of the Chinese delegation and White House staff were not allowed to enter.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Beijing had also scaled back the programme of the visit and had requested more private time for the Chinese president.

It is claimed that a month before the visit, the Chinese side had also refused to hold a planned working lunch between Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on September 24.

Doubts had grown even earlier, following Xi’s absence from a dinner during the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12. The Wall Street Journal reported that the absence was linked to his health.

Similar speculation about Xi Jinping has appeared in the past. Edgar Kagan, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, has said that such rumours appear periodically but are "rarely confirmed".

According to experts cited in the material, Xi may be experiencing a natural decline in physical stamina with age, but there are no public indicators supporting claims of other health problems.

Expert Henry Yep, in a commentary for the Lowy Institute, has written that whenever Xi steps away from public attention for a short period, rumours about his health or his political position resurface. According to him, the closed nature of the Chinese political system creates an environment in which unverified information can spread easily.

The Jamestown Foundation has also argued that in systems where open political opposition is difficult, the anonymous spread of rumours can be used by disgruntled factions to test reactions within the power structures or among the public.