China Expels 33 Officials as Party Plenum Shows Xi Tightening Discipline and Power
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A record 33 members were removed from the Chinese Communist Party during the fifth plenum, leaving more than a quarter of Central Committee seats vacant as Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption and discipline campaign continues to reshape the leadership.
China's Communist Party expelled 33 officials at its fifth plenum, the highest number of expulsions recorded at the meeting. Only 279 of the 376 members originally listed for the Central Committee were present, leaving more than 25% of seats empty and reflecting the scale of the party’s internal cleanup.
Among those removed were Zhang Youxia, former second-in-command of the military, and Ma Xingrui, former party secretary for Xinjiang. Several other absences were not explained, though the pattern points to serious enforcement inside the party ranks.
"More empty seats underscores the plenum’s focus on Xi’s vision of strict internal discipline," said Neil Thomas, a senior fellow at the Asia Society think tank.
The plenum, which centered on party governance, follows a long-standing anti-corruption campaign that began when Xi Jinping took power in 2012. Recent actions have also affected the Central Military Commission, now reduced to two members: Xi and Zhang Shengmin, who was promoted to the Politburo this week as the sole military representative.
The meeting set the stage for the 21st Party Congress, expected in the second half of 2027, where Xi is anticipated to secure a fourth term as party leader. Analysts note that the breadth of recent expulsions may limit the pool of candidates for upcoming leadership positions, but it also signals that the leadership is determined to keep the party disciplined and unified.