China Records Highest Expulsion of Officials from Communist Party

The fifth plenum of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has reported a historic expulsion of officials, reflecting a significant crackdown initiated by President Xi Jinping. In total, 33 members were expelled, marking the largest number of removals in the party's recent history. This year's gathering was attended by only 279 full and alternate members of the party’s Central Committee, a reduction from the 376 members listed in 2022. The notable absence of over 25% of officials serves as a powerful indicator of the ongoing purges under Xi’s administration.

The confirmed expulsions include high-ranking officials such as Zhang Youxia, previously the second-in-command in China’s military hierarchy, and Ma Xingrui, who once served as party secretary for the Xinjiang region. The reasons behind several other absences remain unspecified.

Neil Thomas, a senior fellow at the Asia Society thinktank, noted, “More empty seats underscore the plenum’s focus on Xi’s vision of strict internal discipline.” Since Xi Jinping took office in 2012, he has prioritised the elimination of corruption within the party. However, recent increases in the scale of these purges have led to speculation that they may also serve as a mechanism to eliminate political rivals or enforce loyalty.

In the context of these events, Xi has expressed frustration over what he perceives as a lack of discipline among party ranks. Earlier this year, he stated that the party must eradicate what he referred to as “sick trees” in an ongoing struggle against corruption that he described as a “never-ending journey.”

The purges have also significantly affected the Central Military Commission, which oversees China’s People’s Liberation Army. Currently, only Xi and Zhang Shengmin, the military’s anti-corruption chief, remain on the commission, following extensive eliminations. Notably, Zhang was promoted to a member of the Politburo during this week’s proceedings, becoming the sole military representative in the upper echelons of the party.

The fifth plenum has set the stage for the upcoming 21st Party Congress, scheduled for the latter half of 2027. Analysts anticipate that Xi is likely to secure a fourth term, placing him among the longest-serving leaders in the history of Communist China, alongside Mao Zedong. However, the breadth of recent purges raises concerns that there may be insufficient qualified candidates available for promotions within the Central Committee and the Politburo during the congress next year.