Former Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Jintao has recently been rumored to be in critical condition. His son, Hu Haitao, attracted attention in June when he unveiled the China Capital Market Association in Shanghai with a group of influential officials. Recently, he was seen attending a meeting in Xinjiang.
According to the Chinese state mouthpiece Xinhua News Agency, the 10th National Support Xinjiang Work Conference was held in Hotan, Xinjiang from July 7th to 9th. Wang Huning, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, attended the conference, which was chaired by Li Ganjie, Minister of the United Front Work Department.
Official media reports did not list the attendees of the conference. However, on July 9th, during the CCTV Evening News, footage showed Hu Haitao, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, sitting in the audience while Li Ganjie delivered a concluding speech.
At the closing ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party on October 22, 2022, former CCP leader Hu Jintao was forcibly removed from the venue in full view of the public, sparking widespread discussion. On January 16, 2024, Hu Haitao, former Secretary of the Liandu City Committee of Zhejiang Province, whose promotion rumors had repeatedly fallen through, was appointed as Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs.
Recent rumors circulating on overseas networks suggest that “Hu Jintao is critically ill”, “Hu Jintao’s daughter-in-law and grandson have rushed from Shanghai to Beijing”, and “Hu Jintao is on his deathbed, and his family has rushed to Beijing 301 Hospital”. However, no official confirmation has been made regarding these rumors.
As the son of a former CCP leader, Hu Haitao’s movements in the political arena have always attracted attention.
On June 18, 2025, the Lujiazui Forum opened in Shanghai, with the official website of the China Securities Regulatory Commission releasing a report on the forum. The report indicated that at the opening ceremony of the forum, Chen Jineng, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Committee, Wang Jiang, Deputy Director in charge of daily work at the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, Wu Qing, Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Gong Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai, and Hu Haitao, Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs, jointly unveiled the China Capital Market Association.
Among the officials, Chen Jineng is at the deputy national level, while Wang Jiang, Wu Qing, Gong Zheng are at the ministerial level, and Hu Haitao is at the deputy ministerial level. The position of the Ministry of Civil Affairs has always been considered a less significant role. This situation has been deemed quite unusual.
Political commentator Li Lin recently told Epoch Times that the unveiling ceremony should have been attended by the heads of the departments. The first and second leaders of Shanghai attended, as did the head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is the department responsible for registering the China Capital Market Association as a matter of routine, and there is no reason to send a deputy minister to participate in the event. Moreover, among the deputy ministers of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Hu Haitao is only ranked second. Perhaps someone wanted to highlight his presence on this occasion, which goes against the rules within the party.