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Chinese Leader Hosts US President for Tour of Zhongnanhai Compound
The Chinese leader welcomed the US president into part of the Zhongnanhai leadership compound on Friday for talks and a private tour. The site west of the Forbidden City has served as the headquarters for top Chinese leadership since 1949 and is rarely opened to foreign visitors.
May 15, 9:41 AM·1m read1 source
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Zhongnanhai, located beyond the crimson walls west of the Forbidden City, has long stood as the secluded heart of Chinese power. The compound features broad lakes, stately pavilions and lush greenery. Generations of senior party and state leaders have lived and worked within the compound since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949.
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For decades, the site has been among China’s most secretive locations, hidden behind high walls and guarded gates. It occupies an almost mythic role in public imagination of Chinese politics. Centuries-old trees and roses featured prominently during the stroll around the secluded grounds.
The visit to Zhongnanhai occurred in a more casual setting than the formal talks held on Thursday. Access to the site is normally tightly controlled and phones fall silent inside its grounds.
The tour marked an unusual opening of a space that has remained largely closed to outsiders. Video released by Chinese state media showed the two leaders walking through the grounds. The compound once served as an imperial garden before becoming the seat of top leadership after 1949. Senior officials continue to live and work inside its grounds.
