China's Communist Party conclave on toughening discipline sees record expulsions, absences — SkimNews
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- Chinese Communist Party expelled 33 officials including former Politburo members Ma Xingrui and Zhang Youxia, setting a record for purges during a single term.
- Central Committee saw 25.8% of its original 2022 membership absent from the plenum, the highest absence rate in the post-Mao era, largely due to ongoing purges.
- Xi Jinping consolidated authority as the plenum credited his leadership with reversing party laxity and eliminating 'serious hidden dangers' in the state and military.
- Central Military Commission lost five of its seven 2022 appointees, leaving only Xi and discipline enforcer Zhang Shengmin, who was elevated to the Politburo mid-term—a rare move since 1994.
- 21st Party Congress was scheduled for the second half of 2027 in Beijing, formally initiating the process for Xi Jinping to extend his rule into a third term.
- Party communique emphasized continuous 'self-revolution' and stricter discipline, framing the campaign as essential to the party's survival and long-term rule.
Why it matters: The scale of purges and mid-term Politburo elevation signal Xi Jinping’s tightening grip, reducing institutional checks and reshaping military leadership. With over a quarter of Central Committee members gone, the party’s internal balance shifts toward unquestioning loyalty, affecting succession dynamics and policy continuity through 2027.
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