Social media claims suggest that Li Qiaoming replaced Xi Jinping as China’s ruler
Speculation about Chinese President Xi Jinping being put under house arrest has taken over social media. Many posts claimed that President Xi Jinping was removed as the Chief of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and placed under house arrest. According to reports, there has been no official confirmation from the Chinese Communist Party or the State media.
Social media posts suggest that the ‘coup’ was planned and executed when Xi was in Samarkhand for the SCO summit. Rumours circulating over the social network include Xi Jinping has been replaced by Li Qiaoming, the General serving for the Chinese PLA, and Beijing is currently under the army’s control.
A Chinese human rights activist, Jennifer Zeng shared a video on Twitter and claimed that the PLA was moving toward Beijing.
Large-scale cancellation of flights to and from Beijing added to the speculation. According to media reports, the Beijing Capital Airport’s website showed some flights were cancelled. It is unclear whether the cancellations are linked to the alleged coup in Beijing.
