A summit of leaders from the BRICS group of major emerging economies kicks off in Brazil Sunday – but without the top leader of its most powerful member.

This is not the first time that rumours about the Chinese President have swirled close to important events, and past experiences can help understand what such absences might mean.

That's the question being asked as Chinese President Xi Jinping keeps away from the public eye and skipping the 2025 Rio Summit for the first time in over a decade. There have been only two instances of Xi being seen,