The Guardian
Imagine Joe Biden going missing for 12 days, without any official word as to his whereabouts or condition. That exact scenario is happening in China right now with its vice president, and the man next in line to be its leader, Xi Jinping. He's just....gone.
According to AP:
China's vice president, Xi is due to take over as Communist Party head later this year and as president next year as the country transitions to a new generation of leaders. His prolonged and unexplained disappearance has sparked rumors and raised questions about the stability of the succession process.
For a fourth consecutive day, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei refused to offer any information on Xi.
Early rumors said Xi, 59, threw his back out swimming or pulled a muscle playing football. As the days passed, the speculation escalated to more serious conditions, including a heart attack, stroke, or emergency surgery.
According to Voice of America
Xi's absence has attracted global attention, but had been completely ignored by China's state media. The foreign ministry has also refused to answer reporters' questions on his condition.
More on this bizarre story here and here. Any comments about the importance of transparency in government and media? I'll leave that to you.
(Image: The Guardian)
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Has anybody checked the Appalachian Trail?
China has never been the most "open government" so anything could have happened to this man. On the other hand - has anyone checked flight schedules from China to Argentina?
Several thousand years of Inscrutability.
I won't be surprised when he never turns up.
'Joe missing for 10 days' ......... It would be a blessing for this country. Could he take Mad-Cow Maddow with him !!!!!!!
Well . . . it's true that Joe has never shot anyone in the face, but we love him anyway.
No one knows the facts . . . so isn't it about time for Mitt Romney to issue a statement blaming President Obama?
Let's ask Mitt Rmoney! He's an international expert, I'm certain he's got all the details!
More like an "international man of mystery", but then this is something of a mystery, so...
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
I guess it's harder to keep track of a vice-president than, say, a blind dissident.
Burn! Well done... :D
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
Probably buried with Mao.
I think there needs to be more info on Xi's beleifs or what he stands for to understand more about what's going on.
Apparently some of that generation slated to be replaced wasn't quite ready to hand over power just yet. . . (which is, funny strangeness of the situation aside, probably bad for the US as Xi had more US ties than most other current or potential leaders there).
I am hearing a lot about the US sending Marines to guard the embassies, and that the marines were unarmed. Is this true? Did the US send unarmed Marines to protect the embassies? Why in the world would they do that? I cannot find a report on this that isn't slanted to the right, so I really wonder if it's true.