China has expelled a record number of members from its ruling Communist Party, emphasizing strict discipline and consolidating authority under President Xi Jinping. The latest expulsions, announced Thursday at the end of a four-day political gathering in Beijing, bring the total number of members removed under Xi's third term to 51.
Of the 33 members expelled from the Central Committee during the plenum, 16 were from the military. The party communique cited "serious disciplinary and legal violations" for the removals, broad allegations that have become characteristic of Xi's extensive anti-corruption campaign. Observers suggest this campaign serves to solidify Xi's control, with its continuation and expansion dependent on his perceived security rather than solely on rooting out corruption.
The party acknowledged confronting a situation where leadership had been "weakened or hollowed out" and pledged to continue "strict party self-governance, including turning the knife inwards to... curb disorder." In addition to the plenum expulsions, China's top anti-corruption watchdog reported that 680,000 individuals across the party apparatus have faced discipline in the first nine months of the year.
This plenum was also notable for its reduced attendance, with fewer than 300 members present, a first in Xi's 14 years of leadership. The Central Committee began its current term in 2022 with over 370 members.
Xi reportedly views corruption not only as graft but also as ideological impurity and disloyalty. Earlier this year, he warned against "two-faced cadres" who profess loyalty but act in their own interests.
Among the high-profile officials purged are former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui and ex-top generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. Their removal, along with others like former general He Weidong, has significantly impacted senior leadership bodies. Zhang Youxia, formerly a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, leaves the seven-member commission with only two remaining members: Xi as chairman and Zhang Shengmin as vice-chairman. The removal of Ma and Zhang Youxia, both former Politburo members, briefly reduced the powerful 24-member Politburo to 21 members before Zhang Shengmin's promotion.
Former diplomat Liu Jianchao, who had been absent from public view for some time, was also named among those purged. Analysts note Xi's willingness to remove officials he himself promoted, underscoring his current unassailable position within the party.