Recent overseas state visits by Chinese President Xi Jinping have sparked rumors regarding his health, focusing on his gait and movements.

President Xi arrived at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on August 30 for a state visit, stepping off his presidential aircraft.

Some internet users claimed that unlike his usual long strides, his gait appeared slower and his movements somewhat stiff.

The sight of President Xi continually holding his wife's hand as he descended the stairs also led some netizens to interpret it as him being supported.

Furthermore, state broadcaster CCTV did not air the full process of him walking down the stairs, broadcasting only footage of the presidential couple waving from the top of the stairs after the aircraft door opened and them stepping onto the red carpet.

This omission further fueled suspicions online.

However, Taiwanese media outlets adopted a cautious stance, noting that such claims were merely subjective judgments by some netizens, that there is no official information regarding President Xi's health issues, and that the Chinese government has not responded to the matter.

Born in June 1953, President Xi is 73 years old this year, and rumors regarding his health have surfaced multiple times previously, including in 2019, 2020, and 2025.

In China, the health status of the leadership is a top-secret matter, and critics have pointed out that such "secrecy" gives rise to various speculations regarding the leadership's health.

The latest health rumors have also drawn renewed attention to a private conversation President Xi had with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a military parade in Beijing, China, in September of last year marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

At the time, President Xi remarked, "In the past, it was rare for people to live past 70, but nowadays, 70 is like being a child."

In response, President Putin said, "Human organs can be continually transplanted, leading to immortality," to which President Xi replied, "I predict that humans could live up to 150 years in this century."

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video edited by Lee Eui-sun | Designed by Sumin Lee | Produced by SBS Digital News