Decoding Hu Jintao's Dramatic Ouster From China Congress, & Mystery of Red File

A theory suggests that Hu Jintao's seemingly confused and reluctant expression suggested that he wanted to protest.

Screengrab

Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam

The ouster of ex-president Hu Jintao from the Chinese Communist Party's Congress last month, reportedly on the orders of Xi Jinping, has triggered wild theories and speculations, including the mystery of a red file.

THE VIRAL VIDEO

On 22 October 2022, as China’s President Xi Jinping's third term was confirmed, the foreign media and China audience became witnesses to a probable ‘ouster’ of Hu Jintao. Jinping's predecessor was ‘led out’ by his bodyguard in a dramatic fashion, on a visible instruction from the president.

In the viral video, a retiring member of the Politburo (Political Bureau), Li Zahanshu, was seen taking away a red file from a visibly confused Hu Jintao. 

Moments later, Jinping, sitting to the right of Jintao, was seen speaking with Hu’s bodyguard who eventually escorted him out of the hall.

Hu seemed to be trying to say something to Jinping before he passed through at least 37 senior members, none of whom seemingly acknowledged him. 

Moments later, Chinese state media, Xinhua News Agency tweeted, that Hu was ‘escorted out of the chamber as he was feeling unwell’. But, experts don’t quite buy that! 

Once the video went viral on social media, multiple theories have been formulated which speculate diverse reasons for the probable ‘ouster’.

 THEORY #1- THE RED FILE 

The file pulled away from Hu Jintao's reportedly divulged classified details on the day's proceedings and changes to the political bureau. In one of the pictures captured by the media, 'central committee' is readable in the Chinese language.

THEORY #2 - ACCIDENT OR DELIBERATE? 

Just before ex-President Hu Jintao was led out on the ‘order’ of President Xi Jinping, the foreign media was allowed inside the hall. The timing of allowing the press inside the hall is crucial here. Since Twitter is banned in China, there was no chatter since state media did not report on the incident.

Therefore, did this happen by accident or what was eventually broadcast, was a show of support for President Xi Jinping and the empty chair? 

#THEORY 3 - A POLITICAL PURGE?  

The editor of Foreign Policy, James Palmer, noted that previously, many of Hu Jintao’s former allies have gone this way. After the videos went viral, some China audiences were even convinced that they witnessed a political purge or at least a deliberate public humiliation of their ex-president. 

#THEORY 4 - PROTEST BY THE FACTIONAL LEADER 

Another theory being speculated says that a seemingly confused and reluctant expression on Hu Jintao's face suggested that he wanted to protest against Xi. The factional leader might have been protesting in the past or was about to protest against the expunging of his last few allies. 

"Even if we entertain the notion that Xi purged Hu because Hu wanted to raise objections in public, Xi would have done that before the foreign press were allowed into the room. A high-profile purge of Hu shows the presence of dissent, and the notion that Xi is at least ‘challengeable’."

Sung Wen-Ti, Political Scientist at Australia National University

 While the 'ouster' has divided experts across the globe,

Was this a scripted episode?

Was Ex-President Hu Jintao unwell?

Was he going to protest against President Xi? 

We'll probably never know!