After over a decade of unchallenged authority, Xi Jinping is showing signs of stepping back. From skipping key summits like Brics in Brazil to quietly redistributing the Chinese Communist Party control,

Chinese President Xi Jinping's absence from public view, appearing only twice in videos in over a month, amid a military purge and economic challenges, has fuelled speculation of a power shift in the Chinese Communist Party.

For the first time since taking power, Chinese President Xi Jinping is skipping the BRICS Summit, sending Premier Li Qiang to Rio de Janeiro in his place. Xi’s absence raises questions amid global trade turmoil and U.