White House Releases Images China’s Media Won’t Share

The White House has published a set of photographs capturing Chinese President Xi Jinping in unusually candid moments during the APEC summit in Busan, South Korea, images that reveal a side of the Chinese leader rarely seen at home.

The photos, showing Xi smiling, laughing with aides, and engaging warmly with U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, contrast sharply with his usual state-managed image of composure and authority.

While these scenes quickly spread across international media, they were almost entirely absent from China’s heavily censored internet. State outlets have long portrayed Xi as a disciplined, stoic leader, with limited public exposure beyond official events and speeches.

Social platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu showed no trace of the new images, and posts referencing them were swiftly removed. Analysts say this selective visibility underscores how strictly Beijing curates Xi’s public persona, presenting him as a figure of unwavering control rather than relatability.