By Janis Mackey Frayer and Leila Sackur
- NBC News
Former Chinese President Hu Jintao was escorted out of the country's Communist Party Congress on Saturday in a moment of unexpected drama during an otherwise dynamically choreographed event.
Hu, 79, was sitting next to President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing when
he was approached by a man in a suit and mask,
who spoke to him and appeared to pull on his right arm.
As Xi watched the scene, the man put both hands under Hu's armpits and tried to lift him from his seat.
Xi appeared to speak to his predecessor before the man stepped between them and tried to pick Hu up again.
Former Chinese President Hu Jintao, center, is escorted by two men during the closing ceremony of the 20th National Congress of China's ruling Communist Party at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. Andy Wong/AP
Another man wearing a mask arrived
and Hu ended up getting up, after appearing to be trying to return to his seat.
He then exchanged a few words with Xi and put a hand on the shoulder of Prime Minister Li Keqiang, the country's second-in-command, before being escorted out of the room.
Just before the incident, Hu had been speaking with Li Zhanshu, chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress, China's top governing body.
Li had his chair turned toward the former president to speak.
As Hu was led away by the men, Li tried to get to his feet, but was pulled down by Wang Huning, another party leader.
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No explanation was given for the incident, which lasted several minutes and occurred shortly after the international media entered the room to report on the twice-a-year event where
new promotions are announced and appointments,
and the political strategy for the next five-year cycle is decided.
The incident came after the party passed charter amendments aimed at cementing Xi's central status and guiding role for his political thought within the party, which has some 96 million members.
Among the amendments admitted is the so-called "Two Establishments", which defines Xi as the "central" leader of the party, and his ideas as the guiding principles of China's future development.
The "Two Safeguards", on the other hand, ensure Xi's "core" status within the party and the party's centralized authority over China.
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The Central Committee will announce this Sunday the new Politburo (the governing body of the party), which is usually made up of 25 people.
A new standing committee
, the party's top leadership team, will
also be announced.
In his closing speech, President Xi said that the Chinese Communist Party, which was founded 100 years ago, is still in its prime.
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"The Communist Party of China is once again embarking on a new journey in which it will face new tests," he added, according to The Associated Press news agency.
The congress ended with the interpretation of the socialist anthem
La Internacional.