Xi Jingping suffered stroke, fainted during BRICS 2026 summit? China Democratic Party claims military helicopter transported him directly to Beijing's Army Hospital

Speculation over Chinese President Xi Jinping's health has surfaced following claims by Chinese dissident Wanjun Xie that Xi fainted during the BRICS summit in New Delhi and later suffered a severe ischaemic stroke. Xie made the claims in a series of posts on X, but there has been no official confirmation from Beijing that Xi fainted, suffered a stroke or was hospitalised. MEA has posted on X warning that malicious and fake posts about the health of leaders who attended the summit are circulating online.

Xie alleged that Xi was flown back to Beijing for emergency treatment at the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, commonly known as 301 Hospital. He further claimed that Xi underwent surgery and was monitored in an intensive care unit. The posts have not been independently verified, and one of them received a community note on X flagging the claim as inconsistent with facts.

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Xi skipped BRICS dinner after meeting PM Modi

Xi arrived in New Delhi on September 12 for the 18th BRICS summit, marking his first visit to India in seven years. He attended the summit and held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before not attending a gala dinner hosted by Modi at Bharat Mandapam.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other BRICS leaders attended the dinner, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi represented Beijing. Reports at the time said Xi had returned to his hotel to rest after a busy day, although there was no official explanation for his absence.


During the summit, Xi called for BRICS countries to contribute to efforts to resolve the West Asia conflict, saying the war "does not serve the common interests of the international community". He also announced that China would take over the BRICS chairmanship next year and host the 19th summit.

Xi and Modi separately held talks on India-China relations, including issues related to the border and trade.

PM Modi's brief exchange with Xi draws attention

Questions about Xi's health also grew after a brief exchange during Modi's opening remarks at the summit.

Video footage showed Modi turning towards the Chinese delegation and asking, "Is it okay?" Xi appeared to respond before Modi continued with his remarks. His later absence from the gala dinner added to the speculation surrounding his health.

However, his absence from the dinner was not accompanied by any official statement saying that he had suffered a medical emergency. Reports citing sources said Xi had returned to his hotel to rest.

What does Wanjun Xie claim about Xi's alleged stroke?

In his first post, Xie claimed that Xi had fainted during the BRICS summit and received emergency treatment from his accompanying medical team. He alleged that the Chinese president was subsequently flown back to China on a special plane.


Xie further claimed that Xi declined treatment at an Indian hospital because he was concerned that his condition could become known to the Indian side. He alleged that, after reaching Beijing, Xi was transported from the airport to 301 Hospital by military helicopter rather than being received in a formal welcome ceremony.

According to Xie's posts, doctors at 301 Hospital diagnosed Xi with a severe ischaemic stroke, which he described as a transient cerebral infarction. He claimed the long flight from New Delhi to Beijing caused Xi to miss the "golden window" for emergency treatment and surgery, while doctors could provide only basic treatment during the flight.

In a subsequent post, Xie claimed Xi had undergone surgery at 301 Hospital and was being monitored in an intensive care unit.

"It is rumored that Xi Jinping is currently receiving emergency treatment at Beijing's 301 Hospital and has not yet escaped life-threatening danger," Xie wrote.

Xie also alleged that Chinese military theatre commands and group armies had moved to a heightened state of combat readiness, with their headquarters holding meetings and monitoring developments inside the country.

None of these claims has been independently verified. There has been no official confirmation from Beijing or New Delhi that Xi fainted, suffered a stroke, underwent surgery or was admitted to 301 Hospital. Current reporting on the allegations likewise describes them as claims rather than confirmed developments.

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Who is Wanjun Xie and what is the China Democracy Party?

The allegations were made by Wanjun Xie, chairman of the China Democracy Party, also known as the Democracy Party of China. The organisation is a banned political group that was founded in China in 1998.

The party was established by democracy activists, including former participants in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Between June 25 and 28, 1998, founders including Wang Youcai, Wang Donghai and Lin Hui attempted to register the party with civil affairs authorities in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, during then-US President Bill Clinton's visit to China.

The Chinese Communist Party banned the organisation soon after its formation. Several of its leaders were arrested, tried and imprisoned, after which the group largely operated from outside China. It later established branches and committees in countries including the United States and the United Kingdom.

The China Democracy Party advocates multi-party constitutional democracy, direct elections, separation of powers, freedom of speech and association, and the rule of law. Its stated principles include "Prosperity, Fairness, Democracy" and "Freedom, Rule of Law, Human Rights."

The organisation remains banned in China. US State Department human rights reports and Human Rights Watch have documented the monitoring, detention and imprisonment of current and former China Democracy Party members.