Video: Why China’s former president was escorted out from stage

New Delhi, Oct 26: China's former president Hu Jintao was escorted from the stage during the closing session of the communist party meeting in Beijing as he was quoting official papers, according to footage by Singapore-based Channel News Asia.

Hu Jintao was escorted off on Saturday from the stage while Chinese President Xi Jinping sat stone-faced beside him. The video of the incident shocked people across the globe and was shared by many on various social media platforms. Following the incident, the rumours of the rift were buzzing over the internet. While some speculated that Hu was escorted off at the behest of Xi Jinping, others believed that he was escorted off due to his poor health.

Even the Chinese news agency Xinhua said Hu was escorted as he was not feeling well.

But the CNA video shows what happened before the former president was escorted out from the stage.

In the video, one can see that Hu is trying to read a set of documents which have red covers.

However, Li Zhanshu, who is a former Politburo Standing Committee member, is sitting on the left of Hu Jintao seen taking the papers from the former president.

Then, President Xi Jinping, who was sitting right of Hu Jintao, gestures to another man standing there. The man comes and persuades Hu to leave and at one point attempts to physically lift him up from his chair.

Hu Jintao leaves the chair with the help of the man from the stage. Hu Jintao is seen trying to speak with the Chinese president.