Xi Jinping Begins Annual Secret Retreat in Beidaihe

Xi Jinping and senior Communist Party officials are expected to begin their annual secret summer retreat in Beidaihe in early August. The leaders typically disappear from public view for 10 to 14 days, with security in the seaside town tightening starting in July through bans on drones, hot air balloons, and private boat trips.

The retreat location, characterized by Soviet-style villas, is intended to symbolize humility and a rejection of luxury linked to corruption. While the site historically served as a venue for major political power plays and agenda setting, including the 1958 meeting that led to the Great Leap Forward, its role in such dynamics has diminished as leadership has consolidated under the current administration.

Currently, the retreat serves as a venue for strategic planning. Cai Qi, the chief of staff to the leader, uses the location to host prominent academics for discussions on national priorities, including the development of artificial intelligence.