The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has completed an unprecedented purge at the highest levels of state power following its fifth plenary session in Beijing. Concluding on October 29, the meeting officially excluded 33 senior officials from the party's central committee, which comprises just under 300 members. According to reports, nearly half of those expelled are military figures, leaving the Central Military Commission with only two of its original seven members.
The session was presided over by 73-year-old President Xi Jinping and adopted a decision to deepen comprehensive and strict party governance, with a specific focus on intensifying the anti-corruption campaign. The gathering was characterized by a record number of empty seats, with approximately one-quarter of the positions left vacant. Among the high-profile exclusions are Zhang Youxia, formerly the highest-ranking officer in the Chinese military, and Liu Jianchao, a prominent diplomatic figure who has been absent from public view for over a year.
While numerous officials face removal, General Zhang Shengmin, tasked with rooting out corruption within the armed forces, was promoted to the Politburo. This elevation is described as a rare occurrence between party congresses. The moves signal that discipline and loyalty remain paramount priorities for Xi Jinping, even as the purges extend to his own former protégés. Beijing maintains that these actions have strengthened the party by removing corrupt elements, despite raising questions regarding the operational structure of the military command.
This latest round of expulsions is part of a broader anti-corruption campaign led by Xi Jinping over the past fourteen years, which has targeted thousands of officials across political and economic spheres. The plenary session praised the central committee's "great political courage" in addressing issues of rigor, realism, and efficiency within party governance. With one year remaining until the 21st Party Congress in 2027, where Xi is expected to secure a fourth term, the leadership apparatus appears deeply reshaped as the president continues his consolidation of authority.
Sources: RFI.