During Xi Jinping's October 2026 Washington visit, WSJ's Lingling Wei reported he leaned on Peng Liyuan for support on the plane stairs at Joint Base Andrews and the National Archives steps. The same reporting says he canceled a gala dinner with Modi at the BRICS summit because he was not feeling well, and that Chinese officials sought a private West Wing hold room usable only by him and his wife, a step beyond a 2015 request that was not exclusive to Xi. Chinese officials have said nothing publicly about his wellness, and analysts caution against overreading a stiff gait. The discussion centers on what a decline could mean given Xi removed term limits.