CCP Plenum Ends With 33 Expulsions And Record Absences

The Chinese Communist Party concluded its annual fifth plenum with a record number of expulsions, leaving more than a quarter of the Central Committee absent from the hall. Of the 376 full and alternate members named in 2022, only 279 attended the gathering this week. This attendance rate of roughly 74% represents the highest number of empty chairs at a plenum in modern Chinese history.

The party formally expelled 33 members during the session. Among those removed were Zhang Youxia, the former second-in-command in the military hierarchy, and Ma Xingrui, the former party secretary for Xinjiang. The source did not explain the reasons for other absences, leaving the status of many missing members unclear.

Neil Thomas, a senior fellow at the Asia Society thinktank, said the vacancies emphasize Xi Jinping's focus on strict internal discipline. He noted that the theme of the plenum was party governance. Xi has prioritized stamping out corruption since taking power in 2012, but the campaign has intensified in recent years to target officials in the highest ranks.

The purge has severely reduced the Central Military Commission, the ruling body of the People's Liberation Army. The seven-man commission now has only two members remaining: Xi and Zhang Shengmin, the military's anti-graft chief. Zhang was promoted to the politburo, the party's highest ruling body, during this week's plenum. He is now the sole military member of that senior leadership group.

Xi expressed frustration earlier this year over a lack of discipline within the party. He stated that the organization must uproot sick trees and that the fight against corruption is a never-ending journey. Analysts question whether the campaign serves primarily as a tool to remove political rivals or punish disloyalty.

The plenum also laid the groundwork for the 21st Party congress, scheduled for the second half of 2027. That event will refresh the ranks of the Central Committee and the politburo. Xi is expected to secure a fourth term as leader, which would make him the longest ruler of Communist China since Mao Zedong. Many analysts believe the recent purges have left few suitable candidates for promotion at the upcoming congress.