UPDATE ON COMRADE XI’S “STOKE”: Months-old photos of China’s Xi Jinping shared in July 2024.

The images accompanying the posts are not from July 2024. They were both taken during the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on March 11, 2024.

A Reuters photographer captured the first image, which is described as showing, opens new tab Xi drinking from a cup.

The picture of Xi with his eyes closed was published by The Associated Press with a caption, opens new tab saying it shows the leader reacting after drinking from a cup. Other photographs from the news agency taken between four and five minutes later, according to the timestamp listed, show Xi standing upright, opens new tab and clapping while smiling, opens new tab.

That should settle that.