Beijing political purge: 33 top officials expelled

The Communist Party of China wrapped up its annual power summit on Thursday in Beijing. The event marked the end of the fifth plenum, which ran from Monday. The meeting served as a central stage for Xi Jinping to reinforce his grip on the party ahead of a critical leadership transition.

The plenum confirmed the expulsion of 33 senior party members. This action removes them from the central committee. The move continues a multi-year campaign to clean up the party’s ranks. It also signals a shift in who holds real power within the ruling apparatus.

Only 279 of the 376 full and alternate central committee members attended the session. More than a quarter of the original group named in 2022 were absent. Analysts believe many of the missing members are currently under investigation. Their absence underscores the reach of the ongoing discipline drive.

The expulsions include high-profile figures in the military and diplomacy. Zhang Youxia, formerly the country's most senior military general, lost his membership. Liu Jianchao, a senior diplomat previously tipped to become the next foreign minister, was also removed. These departures remove potential rivals from the upper echelons of the state.

Neil Thomas, a senior fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute, noted the military leadership has undergone heavy turnover. He stated that the ranks have almost completely been purged in the last three or four years. This reshaping affects how the country prepares for potential conflicts in the region.

One prominent figure rose during the meeting. General Zhang Shengmin was promoted to the Politburo, the group of top officials that guides party policy. He has served as a key player in Xi’s anti-corruption efforts. His elevation signals that military discipline remains a priority for the leader.

Joseph Torigian, a professor of Chinese studies at American University, described the meeting as a setup for the next party congress. He argued that Xi is ensuring everyone aligns with his vision before the leadership change. This alignment is critical for maintaining stability during the succession process.

The party emphasized governance and internal discipline as primary goals. Torigian explained that Xi aims to keep the party central to the lives of its members. He wants to prevent the organization from degrading like other communist parties that have collapsed in other countries. This focus on purity is a recurring theme in Xi’s speeches.

Zhang Fuhai, Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, provided specific numbers to reporters on Friday. He said 7.9 million individuals have been punished since the campaign began in late 2012. That group includes more than 960 senior officials. He described the fight against corruption as serious and complicated.

The meeting also addressed bureaucratic inefficiency. Xi has criticized excessive formalities that do not produce results. Torigian called this a move against going through the motions without achieving goals. The party plans to increase reporting from local discipline inspectors to central authorities to tighten scrutiny.