Questions Over Xi Jinping’s Health Spread After Video Shows Him Holding Peng Liyuan’s Hand

A short video of Xi Jinping descending from his aircraft while tightly holding his wife Peng Liyuan’s hand has triggered online speculation about the Chinese president’s health.

Xi flew to Kyrgyzstan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and make a state visit. The 2026 summit took place in Bishkek from August 31 to September 1, and Xi arrived on August 30.

In the circulating footage, Xi and Peng emerge from the cabin. Xi appears to leave little room for Peng, who bumps against the doorframe. Once outside, the couple hold hands and wave toward the cameras. As they begin walking down the stairs, Xi keeps a firm grip on Peng’s hand and moves slowly, leading some viewers to suggest that he was relying on her for support.

Online comments questioned whether Xi was seriously ill and called for him to retire. Others described what they saw as a sign that he could not fully control his body, while some criticized the leadership’s perceived indifference to people suffering hardship.

The speculation intensified because Chinese state media removed the aircraft-stair footage from its reports. Coverage showed Xi waving at the cabin door and images after he had disembarked, but not the sequence of him walking down the stairs. The omission itself became part of the online discussion.