Saint-Tropez? No thanks. China’s top leaders will be vacationing in this humble seaside town | CNN

This summer vacation, some of the world’s most influential people will be soaking up the sun in Saint-Tropez before cruising up the coast to Monaco. But you won’t find China’s political elite sipping Champagne on a superyacht. Every summer, they secretly retreat to Beidaihe, a humble seaside town frequented by crowds of ordinary Chinese families, around 186 miles (300 kilometers) east of Beijing, that’s long been a haven for Communist Party leaders. The annual leaders’ vacation is cloaked in mystery — it’s not known exactly which day they’ll descend on the town, but security starts tightening in early July. Drones are banned, and visitors are not allowed to take hot air balloon rides or private trips on boats around the coast. Then, sometime in the beginning of August, as if on cue, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and some of his closest aides disappear from public view. No announcements are made but public records show that China’s top leaders tend to take a break in August that lasts around 10 to 14 days. During this time, they don’t typically appear in public except in matters of national urgency, like natural disasters. The town is a fitting destination for a lead