(MENAFN) According to state media, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited an exhibition in Beijing on Tuesday, his first public appearance since returning to China from an official trip to Central Asia in mid-September, debunking unconfirmed rumors that he was under house arrest.
Xi has been out of the public spotlight since returning to China from a conference in Uzbekistan, fueling baseless talk in Beijing about military coups.
Despite a stagnant economy, the COVID-19 outbreak, and rare public demonstrations, as well as escalating frictions with the West and tensions over Taiwan, Xi is poised to achieve a third term in power, allowing him to continue his lofty goal of "rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" for years to come.
Since becoming party general secretary, a decade ago, Xi has progressively consolidated authority and removed space for dissent and criticism. China has also grown significantly more forceful on the world scene as an alternative leader to the post-World War II system established by the United States.
The 69-year-old president's likely ascension to a third five-year term, and maybe more, was established in 2018 when he abolished the presidential term restriction of two terms.
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