China's ex-president misses party, but is he dead?

China's Communist Party staged lavish televised ceremonies last weekend to celebrate its 90th birthday, featuring flashy dance numbers, patriotic songs, and hours of solemn speeches. But many couldn't help notice one key element was missing: Where was former president Jiang Zemin?

Amid debate, China's Communist Party turns 90

The 84 year old leader has only made a handful of appearances on the national stage since he stepped down from his roles as China's President in 2003 and as Chairman of the Chinese military in 2004. But his unexpected absence at the anniversary festivities raised eyebrows among Party watchers.

Rumors emerged on Chinese websites soon after the 90th anniversary TV specials ended. But within a day, they were wiped away by government censors. A story announcing Jiang's imminent death from either a heart attack or lung cancer appeared in the Epoch Times newspaper, a publication funded by the banned Chinese religious group Falun Gong, further fueling the gossip.

Wednesday morning, unusually large numbers of police were posted around Beijing, leading some to speculate that all the whispering was based on fact. Admittedly, in 1976, the Communist Party waited more than 16 hours to announce the death of the Party's founder, Mao Zedong, out of fears for national stability.

In this case, however, word of Jiang's death has been circulating for at least a few days. Some sources complain the rumor mill is working overtime for no reason. Jiang was hospitalized for a serious illness earlier this year but he's since been released, they argue. Without some sort of video confirmation though, few are likely to stop wondering why the man who reigned over China's ruling political party for years didn't show up to celebrate its survival.