Xi Jinping convenes fifth plenum to tighten Party discipline

The fifth plenum of the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee is currently underway in Beijing.

The four-day gathering, which began on Monday, includes approximately 300 members of the Central Committee. State media reports indicate the session will focus on tightening discipline within the Party. The meeting is scheduled to end on Thursday.

The timing of the session is notable as it occurs one year before the next Party Congress. That upcoming Congress will set new priorities and appoint a new central committee. While the official process involves the Central Committee selecting top leadership, the internal mechanics remain secret. The next Congress is expected to reappoint Xi Jinping as leader, a move enabled by the recent abolition of term limits.

This plenum follows a series of recent purges within the Party ranks. According to a readout from the Politburo in September, the session will address issues related to the comprehensive strict governance of the Party. Experts interpret this language as a mechanism to ensure obedience and effectiveness from senior officials in distant regions.

The scale of recent personnel changes has altered the composition of the leadership. The Asia Society Policy Institute estimates that of the 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022, only two have not been removed. The Central Military Commission, a seven-member body that oversees the armed forces, has been reduced to two members: Xi Jinping and one other general.

The plenum provides Xi Jinping with the opportunity to appoint new officers to the Central Military Commission. The session is also viewed as a chance for Xi to dictate strategy in the run-up to the Congress. Past plenums have been used to declare Xi as the core of the Party, abolish term limits, and elevate his personal philosophy to the same status as Chairman Mao’s thought.

The specific location of the meeting has not been publicly announced. Previous plenums have been held at the Jingxi Hotel in Beijing. While the sessions are highly secretive, a summary of decisions and a detailed document will be released to the public after the session concludes.