Home · World · Oct 26 archive
China's Communist Party Elite Meet to Tighten Discipline
· Confirmed
In Short: Roughly 300 members of China's ruling Communist Party's Central Committee are meeting in Beijing to tighten discipline and prepare for leadership reshuffles.
Roughly 300 members of China's ruling Communist Party's Central Committee are meeting in Beijing to tighten discipline and prepare for leadership reshuffles, according to state media and reports from AFP, Al Jazeera (Qatar), Arabnews (Saudi Arabia), and Bangkokpost.
The fifth plenum, which began on Monday and is scheduled to conclude on Thursday, is being held under tight security and is expected to provide clues about the country's future direction and leadership changes.
State media reported that President Xi Jinping will present a draft decision by the Central Committee that sets out strategic plans for strengthening full and rigorous party self-governance, as quoted by Bangkokpost.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) reported that the meeting comes ahead of a major party congress next year, where Xi is almost certain to secure a historic fourth term.
Ruby Osman, a senior policy adviser at London’s Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, told The Associated Press that the plenum is a chance to ensure the new generations rising through the ranks share Xi’s assessment of the opportunities and risks China faces.
AFP and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) noted that eight of the Central Committee's seats are vacant, with another 15 members under investigation and at risk of being replaced.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that the closed-door gathering is being watched closely for clues as to the country’s direction and future leadership, while Thestar (Canada) highlighted Xi’s demand for the top military brass to be corruption-free and demonstrate unwavering loyalty to the Communist Party.
Thestar (Canada) also reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping has purged the country’s highest-ranking army general and another top military official from the ruling Communist Party over alleged corruption and disloyalty.
AFP and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) reported that Xi’s anti-corruption drive has targeted the military, toppling five of the seven members of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the party’s top armed forces body.
Of 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022, only two have not been purged or disappeared, according to the Asia Society Policy Institute, as reported by Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) and Bangkokpost.
Xi Jinping has waged a 14-year campaign against corruption that has purged thousands of officials, including dozens of committee members, as noted by AFP, Arabnews (Saudi Arabia), Bangkokpost, and Al Jazeera (Qatar).
The meeting is expected to address issues such as 'two-faced' officials who appear to comply with central directives but inwardly resist, pursue individualism, and are politically opportunistic, as highlighted in a speech Xi gave in January.
What's confirmed
- Roughly 300 members of the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee in attendance at the meeting, called the fifth plenum, will be looking to tighten discipline within their ranks, according to state media.
- The fifth plenum comes ahead of a major party congress next year, where 73-year-old Xi is almost certain to secure a historic fourth term and oversee a leadership reshuffle.
- State media published an article ahead of the plenum, based on a speech Xi gave in January in which he railed against "two-faced" officials who appear to comply with central directives but "inwardly resist", pursue "individualism" and are "politically opportunistic".
- Previous plenums have represented key moments for Xi to cement his authority.
- Yet he remains frustrated with cadres he deems are not implementing his orders.
- China's President Xi Jinping and other top leaders meet in Beijing on Monday at a key gathering watched closely for clues as to the country's direction and future leadership.
- Little of the closed-door gathering, held under tight security, will be made known until it concludes on Thursday, but the timing of the meeting is crucial.
- Eight of the Central Committee's seats lie vacant, with another 15 members under investigation and at risk of being replaced.
- The Chinese leader has waged a 14-year campaign against corruption that has purged thousands of officials, including dozens of committee members.
- Of 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022, only two have not been purged or disappeared, according to the Asia Society Policy Institute.
What's still developing
- Both men “seriously violated political discipline and political rules,” and also failed to “supervise their relatives and close staff members,” Xinhua said.
- The two men were accused of being “disloyal and dishonest to the Party,” as well as abusing their power to help others with promotions while improperly accepting gifts and an “enormous amount of money,” the official Xinhua News Agency said.
- “There must be no one in the military who harbors disloyalty to the (ruling Communist) Party,” Xi said in remarks published by Xinhua in March.