China's Communist Party opens fifth plenum focused on discipline and loyalty

Mixed · 2President Xi Jinping opened the fifth plenum of the Communist Party's 20th Central Committee in Beijing on Monday 26 October 2026, state media said; the closed-door meeting runs four days and ends on Thursday 29 October. 1 2 Centre · 1Roughly 300 Central Committee members are attending, and according to state media they will look to tighten discipline, reduce corruption and make cadres more effective and loyal. 3 Centre · 2Xinhua reported that Xi presented a draft decision on strengthening "full and rigorous Party self-governance"; the SCMP, citing Xinhua, adds that he also delivered a Politburo work report to the session. 3 2

Centre · 2Few details will emerge until the meeting ends, when authorities are expected to publish a summary or communique of the outcomes. 3 2 Mixed · 2The meeting comes ahead of a party congress next year, where Xi, 73, is almost certain to secure a fourth term and oversee a leadership reshuffle; observers are watching for clues about the country's direction and future leadership. 3 4 Mixed · 2Xi has waged a 14-year anti-corruption campaign that has purged thousands of officials, including dozens of Central Committee members, yet remains frustrated with cadres he deems not to be implementing his orders. State media published ahead of the plenum a January speech in which he attacked "two-faced" officials who appear to comply but "inwardly resist". 3 4

Left · 1Analysts told AFP and AP that Xi is trying to maximise efficiency and loyalty by imposing more supervision and rules. Neil Thomas of the Asia Society Policy Institute expects demands for tighter scrutiny of public spending and major projects, more use of technology to uncover corruption and tougher consequences for officials who fail to deliver; Ruby Osman of the Tony Blair Institute said the plenum helps ensure rising generations share Xi's assessment of risks. 4 Left · 2Because of the purges, AFP-sourced reports expect the lowest plenum turnout since Mao Zedong's death in 1976: eight Central Committee seats are vacant and another 15 members are under investigation. 1 4 Centre · 1The SCMP's own tally finds 35 full members of the 205-member committee have been placed under investigation or stripped of their legislative seats, and some removals are expected to be formally confirmed at the plenum. 2

Centre · 2The campaign has also hit the military, toppling five of the seven Central Military Commission members; of 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022, only two have not been purged or disappeared, according to the Asia Society Policy Institute. The SCMP notes the downfall this year of vice-chairman Zhang Youxia and member Liu Zhenli. The plenum could appoint new CMC members, the party could wait until the congress, or Xi might restructure party control over the military. 3 2 Centre · 1People's Daily published a commentary under the Ren Zhongping byline, which the SCMP says suggests particular weight. It called corruption "the greatest threat facing the party", called the campaign successful, cited crackdowns on improper dining and gifts, and described upholding the Central Committee's centralised leadership as "the supreme principle of party leadership". 2 Left · 2The talks come as China's economy struggles with sluggish domestic spending and a protracted property crisis, and as turbulent ties with the United States weigh on leaders. 1 4