Thread by @OliviaSiongCNA

WATCH: A rare look at the moments leading up to the unexpected exit of former Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Communist Party Congress closing.

The footage was captured by my colleague who was in the hall with me on Saturday

A thread on the key moments:
1/ Current Chairman of China’s legislature, Li Zhanshu, is seen taking papers out of Mr Hu’s hand, arranging it and placing it back on the table, while leaning in and speaking to him

2/ Mr Li is then seen sliding the papers away from the 79-year-old Mr Hu, while saying something to him

3/ Chinese President Xi Jinping, seated on the other side of Mr Hu, is seen seemingly trying to get the attention of someone

4/ A staff member walks over to Mr Xi's position, while ideology tsar Wang Huning who's seated next to Mr Li gestures at Mr Hu

5/ The staff walks away. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, seated on Mr Xi's right, looks straight ahead

6/ Another staff member comes over and stands behind Mr Hu while holding on to his chair and listening to Mr Xi

7/ Mr Xi seems to explain something to the staff member while gesturing at the paper in front of him on the table. The staff nods.

7/ After Mr Xi finishes speaking, the staff then shifts to Mr Hu's other side and moves the document, but the red cover seems to slide off

8/ Mr Li intervenes and puts the red cover page back on and exchanges a few words with the staff now standing behind him

9/ The staff then moves over to speak to Mr Hu. While Mr Wang taps Mr Li on the arm, leans over and says something to him.

10/ Side note: Our camera pauses filming momentarily as my colleague adjusts his position. This moment was happening just shortly after media were let into the hall and were setting up to cover proceedings. This is the full, raw, unedited footage that was captured

11/ The staff shifts over to Mr Hu's right with documents in hand and speaks with Mr Hu. Mr Li has his arm behind Mr Hu, while Mr Wang says something, seems to glance up, before turning back to say something again.

For context, the media are on level 2 of the hall

12/ This is the moment that the staff then supports Mr Hu's arm and seemingly lifts him out of his chair. He's also holding on to a pair of spectacles, presumably the one that was on the table in front of Mr Hu previously. Mr Xi, Mr Li, Mr Wang, look on.

13/ Another man identified as Kong Shaoxun, head of the Communist Party's secretariat, stands behind but then approaches to help with Mr Hu's chair as the former President gets up. Mr Li also assists. Mr Xi says something, while Mr Wang speaks to Mr Kong and gestures

14/ The staff tries to lead Mr Hu but he turns back. Mr Kong moves to the front of the two men and puts his hand out, seemingly indicating to Mr Hu where to go

15/ Mr Hu and Mr Kong exchange a few words, before Mr Hu then reaches for the documents in the staff's hand. Mr Kong and the staff continue to gesture towards the stage exit

16/ Mr Hu starts to walk out, while being supported by the staff. But he stops to say something to Mr Xi, who nods and replies him very briefly

17/ Mr Hu also puts his hand on Premier Li's shoulder as he walks past him

18/ Reactions from the presidium as Mr Hu walks past:
- Ding Xuexiang looks on
- Liu He, Yang Jiechi, Zhang Youxia look straight ahead
- Li Qiang and Sun Chunlan are in conversation

19/ Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, who's known as "Little Hu" for his resemblance to the former President's political career and is seen as one of his proteges, sits with his arms crossed as the 79-year-old walks behind him

20/ Mr Hu exits stage right.

All this happened in front of over 2,200 delegates, as well as local and international media

21/ Timeline of events (Part 1):

Around 950AM
Media arrive at the Great Hall and are directed to a holding room to wait to be let into the auditorium to cover proceedings

Around 1113AM
State media report a new Central Committee has been elected by the Congress

22/ Timeline of events (Part 2):

1114AM
Media were let into the auditorium. Checked time according to the time stamp of this video of us entering that I recorded on my phone

1118AM
Timestamp of the video of the Hu incident I took on my phone

23/ OFFICIAL RESPONSE: In a tweet posted at 1037PM that night, Chinese state media Xinhua attributed Mr Hu's unexpected exit to health reasons.

Mr Hu's name was censored from Chinese social media. / End of thread.

Know I said it was the last post, but thought I should add that Mr Hu did not return to the hall as proceedings, which included a vote on amendments to the party constitution, continued. You can see his empty chair here in this photo taken towards the end of the session at 1225pm