Smallest CPC Central Committee Plenum Held in Beijing Amidst Massive Party Purges

The plenum was notable for an unusually small number of participants. 279 members of the CPC Central Committee took part in the sessions. For comparison, at the previous plenum in October 2025, there were 315, and at the third plenum in July 2024, there were 364. There were more empty seats in the hall than ever before at similar party events.

While economic reforms, social issues, and the development of specific industries were the main topics at previous plenums, the primary focus this time was on party discipline.

In a statement following the meeting, the party acknowledged facing serious problems, including weakened control and the erosion of the substantive foundations of its operations. The CPC Central Committee declared its intention to continue strictly overseeing its own structures and implement the most stringent measures to restore order.

Considering the latest purges, the total number of high-ranking officials removed from their positions during Xi Jinping's third term has reached 51. For comparison, during his first term, 35 such officials were removed, and during his second, five.

Among those expelled from the party are Ma Xingrui, former party committee secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Zhang Youxia, Colonel General and member of the CPC Central Committee Politburo; and Liu Zhenli, Colonel General who headed the Joint Staff of China's Central Military Commission.

Of the 33 expelled, 16 are from the armed forces. According to experts from the Asia Society Policy Institute, the current purges within the highest military leadership are of exceptional scale and raise serious questions regarding the army's organization and combat readiness. This comes as China continues to showcase new military equipment.

Zhang Youxia served as deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission, which commands the country's armed forces. Following the latest personnel changes in the commission, which typically comprises seven high-ranking military officers, only two individuals remain: Xi Jinping himself and Zhang Shengmin, who is responsible for discipline within the armed forces.

Ma Xingrui and Zhang Youxia were also members of the CPC Central Committee Politburo. Their expulsion, along with the 2025 expulsion of Colonel General He Weidong, led to a reduction in the size of this influential body. Typically comprising 24 members, at one point only 21 remained. At the fifth plenum, Zhang Shengmin was included in the Politburo, increasing its membership to 22.

The purges also affected former high-ranking diplomat Liu Jianchao, who ceased public appearances in July 2025. Prior to his detention, he was considered the leading candidate for China's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Official reports state that the expelled officials 'grossly violated party discipline and rules.' This phrasing is commonly perceived as a euphemism for corruption. However, authorities do not provide specific details about the violations, beyond general references to serious disciplinary and legal transgressions. Such a practice has become typical for Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign.

Concurrently with the plenum, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection reported that in the first nine months of 2026, 680,000 individuals within the party apparatus were subjected to disciplinary action.

Xi Jinping has been leading an anti-corruption campaign since 2012, repeatedly calling corruption the primary threat to the party. However, according to Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore and a visiting scholar at Carnegie China, this campaign has now transformed into a tool for consolidating and retaining power.

According to experts, Xi Jinping views corruption not only as bribery but also as a manifestation of ideological unreliability, and primarily, disloyalty. In January, the Chinese leader warned of the danger of 'two-faced cadres' who verbally demonstrate political allegiance but in practice ignore orders and act in their own self-interest.

Chong notes that Xi Jinping does not hesitate to remove even individuals he previously promoted through the ranks. According to the expert, the fact that the Chinese leader acts at his own discretion and faces almost no resistance attests to the strength of his current position.

Analysts cite the upcoming CPC Congress as another reason for the intensified focus on discipline, which many interpret as political loyalty. It is scheduled to take place in 2027, when the party will address the country's leadership and implement personnel reshuffles within the highest echelons of power.

Many analysts expect that Xi Jinping will retain the position of party leader for a fourth term and possibly remain in power even longer. Only Mao Zedong, the first leader of the Communist Party of China, governed China for a longer period.

Observers believe that at the congress, Xi Jinping will effectively make new appointments unilaterally, which will further strengthen his control over the party and the country. According to Chong Ja Ian, the Chinese leader aims for a further concentration of power around himself and intends to remain the central figure of China's political system for the foreseeable future.

However, as the expert warns, an excessive concentration of power could, in the long term, lead to a serious political vacuum. This problem will become particularly acute as Xi Jinping ages and his political activity declines.

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