Old image claiming to show Xi Jinping having a stroke is false

An image shared on Facebook claims to show Chinese President Xi Jinping having a stroke.

Verdict: False

The image is from March and shows Xi after he drank a cup of water. There is no evidence he has suffered a stroke.

Fact Check:

Chinese media has moved to dispute a phrase about economic decline, according to Bloomberg. The phrase, “the garbage time of history,” has gained popularity on Chinese social media, the outlet reported.

Social media users are sharing an image of Xi wincing and claiming that he suffered from a stroke.

“Newsflash: China’s President, Xi Jinping, has suffered a stroke during the Third Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party. Chinese Human Rights reporter, Jennifer Zhang, claims the “brain” stroke was “massive” and Xi Jinping is now in a ‘critical condition,’” one user wrote.

Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found that the image is from March 2024. It was published by the Associated Press and shows Xi during the National People’s Congress. (RELATED: Fact-Checking Trump’s Claim That Biden ‘Doesn’t Need Congress’ To Close The Border)

“Chinese President Xi Jinping, rear, reacts after drinking from a cup at the closing session of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, March 11, 2024,” reads the image description.

Media outlets have not reported on Xi suffering a stroke. The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party is currently having their third plenum, which is a policy meeting, according to the South China Morning Post.

Lead Stories has debunked the claim as well.