China expels a record number from Communist party amid Xi’s intensified purges of top officials
The unprecedented number of empty seats at the fifth plenum – a symbol of expulsions – serve as a symbol for the scale of the purges under Xi Jinping
TL;DR
- A record 33 officials were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the fifth plenum.
- Over 25% of the CCP's Central Committee members were absent from the gathering, a record high.
- The purges are part of Xi Jinping's intensified anti-corruption campaign, which has also targeted high-ranking party and military officials.
- Notable expulsions include Zhang Youxia and Ma Xingrui.
- The Central Military Commission has been significantly reduced, with only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin remaining.
- Zhang Shengmin was promoted to the politburo, becoming the sole military member of the senior leadership body.
- The plenum prepared for the 21st Party Congress in 2027, where Xi is expected to secure a fourth term.
- Analysts suggest the wide-ranging purges may limit the pool of candidates for future promotions.