At the close of a four‑day, closed‑door gathering in Beijing, China’s Communist Party announced the expulsion of a record 33 members, underscoring the centrality of party discipline under President Xi Jinping. The fifth plenum, attended by just 279 Central Committee members, marked the first time in Xi’s 14‑year rule that attendance fell below 300, highlighting both the scale of the purge and the symbolic weight of the event.
What the numbers reveal
The latest expulsions bring the total removed during Xi’s third term to 51, surpassing the 34 and five expulsions recorded in his first and second terms respectively. Sixteen of the 33 ousted members came from the military, a notable shift that reflects Xi’s focus on loyalty within the armed forces. The party’s anti‑corruption watchdog also reported that 680,000 party officials have been disciplined in the first nine months of the year, illustrating the breadth of the campaign.
Discipline versus corruption
Since taking power in 2012, Xi has framed the fight against corruption as a “biggest threat” to the party. However, analysts note that the language of “serious disciplinary and legal violations” has become a routine euphemism, often masking broader concerns about ideological purity and loyalty. Chong Ja Ian, a non‑resident scholar with Carnegie China, argues that the campaign “will continue and expand depending on how secure Xi feels rather than any real issue with corruption.”
Military implications
The purge of senior military figures has drawn particular attention. Scholars from the Asia Society Policy Institute—Neil Thomas, Lobsang Tsering, and Shengyu Wang—describe the removal of top brass as “in a category of its own,” warning that it raises “serious questions about organisational leadership and combat readiness.” The Central Military Commission, once a seven‑member body, has been reduced to just two members: Xi as chairman and Zhang Shengmin as vice‑chairman.
Political stakes ahead of the Party Congress
Analysts link the heightened emphasis on discipline to the upcoming 21st Party Congress, where the CCP will select its next leadership cohort. With a leadership reshuffle due in 2027, many expect Xi to secure a fourth term—something only Mao Zedong achieved. Thomas notes that “today’s rising stars tend to be relatively young, boast technocratic backgrounds, and have connections to Xi’s political network,” suggesting that the purge may be a pre‑emptive move to clear the way for Xi‑aligned successors.
Historical context
The expulsions echo earlier waves of anti‑corruption drives, but the scale is unprecedented. Former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui, ex‑generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, and diplomat Liu Jianchao—all high‑profile figures—were among those removed, illustrating that even senior officials who once enjoyed Xi’s patronage are not immune. Chong observes, “Xi has few qualms about removing people he promoted,” underscoring the president’s unassailable position.
What it means for ordinary observers
For the broader public, the record purge signals that Xi’s consolidation of power extends beyond the traditional anti‑corruption narrative. The focus on “party self‑governance” and the metaphor of “turning the knife inwards” suggests a regime increasingly preoccupied with internal cohesion and loyalty, especially as it prepares for the next major political milestone. While the exact charges against many expelled members remain vague, the pattern indicates a strategic tightening of control rather than a purely legalistic crackdown.
Bottom line: The fifth plenum’s unprecedented expulsions and low attendance reflect Xi Jinping’s intensified push for party discipline, a move that serves both to reinforce his authority and to shape the leadership landscape ahead of the 2027 Party Congress.