Beijing plenum confirms 33 party expulsions as Xi tightens grip

China's ruling Communist Party concluded its fifth plenum on Thursday, confirming the expulsion of 33 senior members. The session, which began on Monday, centered on anti-corruption efforts and internal discipline. This move signals how Xi Jinping is preparing the party structure ahead of the next major political gathering.

Attendance numbers reveal the scale of the purge. Of the 376 full and alternate central committee members named in 2022, only 279 showed up for the meeting. More than a quarter of the committee was absent. Analysts believe many of those missing are currently under investigation.

Joseph Torigian, a professor of Chinese studies at American University in Washington D.C., says the meeting serves to align the party with Xi's vision. "This is Xi Jinping setting up for the next party congress next year by ensuring that everybody is on the same page as him," Torigian said. He notes that the timing comes amid widespread speculation that Xi will seek a fourth term in office.

The leadership changes include the removal of Zhang Youxia, formerly China's most senior military general, and Liu Jianchao, a senior diplomat previously tipped to become the next foreign minister. Neil Thomas, a senior fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute, states that the military leadership ranks have been almost completely purged in the last three or four years.

General Zhang Shengmin survived the purges and received a promotion. A key player in Xi's anti-corruption campaign, Zhang was elevated to the Politburo, a body of more than 20 top officials. Thomas says this move reinforces the priority of anti-corruption work within the military.

"There's a lot of churn going on," Torigian said. He added that the turnover raises questions about who Xi will rely on to fill the ranks as the next Party congress approaches. The uncertainty makes it difficult for outsiders to predict the final composition of the leadership team.

The meeting also emphasized strengthening party governance. Torigian explains that Xi aims to maintain the party's conviction across generations. He wants members to place the Chinese Communist Party at the center of their lives rather than their own selfish interests. This focus on purity is a topic close to Xi's heart, given how other communist parties have degraded and collapsed over time.

Zhang Fuhai, Deputy Secretary of the Communist party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, provided specific numbers on Friday. Since Xi came into power in late 2012, 7.9 million individuals have been punished. This total includes over 960 senior officials. Zhang told reporters that the fight against corruption remains serious and complicated, and that eradicating the breeding ground for corruption is a formidable task.