Former Chinese President Hu Jintao's forced removal from Saturday's closing ceremony and his proteges being replaced by Xi loyalists the next day surely makes this the more likely explanation.
This is the same theme as MbS' repudiation of Saud connections with the Bushes 1985-2005, using the decadence of an earlier era as a self-justifying impetus to purge. Hitler did this with art shows, Stalin did it in presenting 1925 political elements within the Bolsheviks as deviant. In all these cases, it is about emphasizing the distance from this dirty, pre-Messianic pass, framing the current leadership as a genuine progression towards cleanliness in governance, decency, masculine positivity, etc.
This is the same theme as MbS' repudiation of Saud connections with the Bushes 1985-2005, using the decadence of an earlier era as a self-justifying impetus to purge. Hitler did this with art shows, Stalin did it in presenting 1925 political elements within the Bolsheviks as deviant. In all these cases, it is about emphasizing the distance from this dirty, pre-Messianic pass, framing the current leadership as a genuine progression towards cleanliness in governance, decency, masculine positivity, etc.