[Edaily Reporter KIM EUNG-YEOL ] Reports have emerged that Chinese President Xi Jinping, 73, made an unusual request for rest and relaxation during his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump last month. This has raised questions about whether there are concerns regarding President Xi’s health.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 2nd (local time), China requested that the U.S. set up a private lounge for President Xi inside the White House West Wing. Only President Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, was permitted to be present in this space; no other members of the Chinese delegation were allowed access.

About a month before President Xi’s visit to the U.S., the Chinese side asked the White House to cancel a working lunch with President Trump scheduled for September 24. The request was made to ensure President Xi had as much rest time as possible. The WSJ reported that, due to the Chinese request, a gap of about five hours was created in President Xi’s U.S. itinerary.

Furthermore, the WSJ reported that when President Xi stepped off his private jet, he held Mrs. Peng with one hand while bracing himself against the railing with the other. It also noted that two days later, as he climbed the stairs at the National Archives and Records Administration, President Xi held Mrs. Peng’s hand the entire time and appeared to be leaning on her for support.

The WSJ had previously reported that at last month’s BRICS summit in India, President Xi missed a dinner attended by world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, due to poor health.

Concerns about President Xi’s health are drawing attention as they intersect with China’s power succession dynamics. With no successor to President Xi currently designated, power is overly concentrated in his hands, raising the possibility that his health could have far-reaching implications for the country’s political landscape.