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Top Chinese Leader Zhao Leji Absent from Key Parliamentary Session
China's third-ranked leader Zhao Leji missed a key parliamentary session due to a respiratory infection, marking the first time a Politburo Standing Committee member has been absent in nearly 20 years.
ND
by News Desk
2025-03-11
Top Chinese Leader Zhao Leji Absent from Key Parliamentary Session

Zhao Leji, the third-ranked leader of China’s ruling Communist Party, was absent from a key parliamentary session on Tuesday due to a respiratory infection, according to officials.

Zhao, 68, was due to open the plenary session of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People but was replaced by his deputy, Li Hongzhong.

📌 Key Details:
✔ Leader Absent: Zhao Leji (China’s third-highest official)
✔ Reason Given: Respiratory infection
✔ Event Missed: National People’s Congress (NPC) session
✔ First Absence in 20 Years: A Politburo Standing Committee member hasn’t missed such a session since 2006

A Rare Public Admission

Announcing Zhao’s absence, Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, told over 2,000 delegates:

🗣️ Li Hongzhong:
"Chairman Zhao Leji requested leave from this afternoon's meeting due to a respiratory infection. I was entrusted to preside over the session."

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is notorious for its secrecy regarding the health of senior officials, making this announcement highly unusual.

Political analysts note that such absences are rare.

🗣️ Wen-Ti Sung, Analyst at Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub:
"It’s extremely rare for China’s NPC speaker to miss the most important occasion of the year."

Zhao's Sudden Absence Sparks Speculation

📢 Additional Concerns:
🔹 Zhao also missed the closing session of China’s political advisory body on Monday.
🔹 He skipped a meeting of the NPC presidium that same day.
🔹 No explanation was initially given for his absence.

While authorities insist Zhao is only ill, previous mysterious absences of high-ranking Chinese officials have often led to sudden dismissals or internal purges.

Parallels to Previous High-Profile Absences

⚠️ Other Cases of Mysterious Absences in China:

✔ Qin Gang (Former Foreign Minister, 2023):

  • Missed a diplomatic summit due to "health reasons."
  • Later removed from his post after rumors of an extramarital affair.

✔ Hu Jintao (Former President, 2022):

  • Escorted out of the Communist Party Congress in a shocking public incident.
  • Official reason: “Not feeling well.”
  • Footage was censored in China.

✔ Huang Ju (Former Vice Premier, 2006):

  • Missed all parliament sessions due to illness.
  • Died the following year, with no official cause of death disclosed.

These incidents suggest that Chinese leadership absences are often politically significant.

Who is Zhao Leji?

Zhao Leji is one of President Xi Jinping’s most trusted allies.

🔹 Current Role: Chairman of the NPC, China’s top legislative body
🔹 Past Role: Led the CCP’s anti-corruption watchdog
🔹 Political Background: Rose through party ranks in Qinghai and Shaanxi, Xi’s stronghold
🔹 International Influence: Led a high-level visit to North Korea in 2023

His absence at the most important legislative meeting of the year raises questions about his health, political future, and potential shifts within the CCP.

What’s Next?

✔ Will Zhao return soon, or is this a sign of a deeper political shake-up?
✔ Observers are watching closely for any signs of a CCP reshuffle.
✔ The party’s history suggests that abrupt absences often lead to major political consequences.
Tagged:

China

XiJinping

ZhaoLeji

NPC

ChinesePolitics

CommunistParty
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