It wasn't too long ago that China's president Xi Jinping seemed untouchable.

Please join me in a warm applause to welcome the General Secretary and other Political Bureau standing committee members.

When the country's Communist Party wrapped up its twice-a-decade Congress in October, there was no question who was in charge and who would continue

to be so.

Let us formally welcome Comrade Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the CPC Central

Committee, to deliver remarks.

She secured an unprecedented third term in power and stacked the Communist Party's most senior leadership committee with loyalists.

Not all but guaranteed his unquestionable grip on the nation.

Until about a month later, when protests broke out.

President, Xi Jinping.

His signature policy to manage the COVID-19 pandemic was something called zero COVID,

the state violently enforced severe lockdowns and constrained citizens' lifestyles for nearly the past two years.

But citizens have had enough.

And she's tight grip on China looks like it's starting a crowd.

I'm Gustav Ariano.

You're listening to the Times, essential news from the LA Times.

It's Monday, December 6, 2022.

Today, has Xi Jinping's power weekend because of a fiasco wholly of his own making?

Talking to me about all of this is my LA Times colleague and China correspondent, Stephanie

Yang. Stephanie, welcome the Times.

Thank you for having me.

So the protests in China have gotten worldwide attention. What's the latest?

...