After purges, China’s Central Committee praises the party’s ‘rigorous self-governance’

China’s Communist Party has confirmed the expulsion of 33 central committee members, a move that underscores the intensification of leader Xi Jinping’s internal purge as he prepares to seek a fourth term. The announcement was made in a communiqué released on Thursday following the conclusion of the party’s fifth plenary session, a four-day closed-door gathering held at a hotel in Beijing. Of the 33 removed officials, sixteen served in the military, marking a significant reduction in the ranks of the nation’s top brass. The plenum saw only 279 of the 376 central committee members attend, a drop that reflects the scale of recent removals, investigations, and disappearances within the party’s highest leadership body. The timing of the purge coincides with the final year before the 2027 party congress, where Xi is expected to secure another five-year term. Analysts indicate that the focus of this particular plenum shifted away from traditional economic management topics toward "party self-governance," a framework encompassing both anti-corruption measures and demands for political loyalty. This strategic pivot suggests concern that previous anti-graft campaigns have failed to fully eliminate perceived threats to the regime’s stability. The party stated it had "squarely confronted the grim reality" that leadership had at times weakened or hollowed out, vowing to enforce strict self-governance by turning inward to curb disorder. Prominent figures among those expelled include former diplomat Liu Jianchao, former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui, and two former top generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. Official statements regarding their removal cited "serious disciplinary and legal violations," a broad allegation that has become standard language in Xi’s anti-corruption drive. Observers note that these charges often extend beyond financial graft to include ideological impurity and disloyalty. In January, Xi specifically warned against "two-faced cadres" who publicly profess loyalty while acting in their own self-interest. The removal of Zhang Youxia, who previously served as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, has raised questions about organizational leadership and combat readiness within the armed forces, despite continued developments in military hardware. Conversely, the plenum served to elevate certain loyalists. General Zhang Shengmin, the military’s top anti-corruption officer, was promoted to the Politburo, the party’s innermost circle of decision-makers. This promotion occurred alongside the confirmation of the expulsions, signaling a restructuring of the top leadership. Since 2022, three of the 24 members of the Politburo have fallen, representing the most extensive housecleaning of the top party leadership since the 1980s. Vacancies in senior military positions are equally pronounced, with only one in five of the original uniformed central committee members remaining in their posts. The scale of the current crackdown is evident in statistics released by the party’s Discipline Inspection Commission. In the first nine months of the year, the body opened 800,000 investigations and disciplined 680,000 individuals, including more than half a million party members. These figures highlight the breadth of the enforcement actions currently underway. The cumulative effect of these purges has brought the total number of central committee members removed under Xi’s third term to a record 51, a sharp increase from the 35 removed in his second term and five in his first. Political scientists suggest that this aggressive approach is driven by Xi’s reliance on formal party structures to maintain power. Unlike predecessors such as Mao Zedong, who utilized mass movements to bypass formal hierarchies, or Deng Xiaoping, who relied on informal personal networks, Xi’s authority is deeply embedded in the institutional machinery of the party. Consequently, maintaining control requires continuous internal policing. One analyst described the situation as a feature of the system, noting that the intensity of the ideological fervor drives a process of constant self-flagellation. While policy direction remains stable, the personnel landscape has experienced significant turmoil. The low attendance at the plenum marks the first instance in Xi’s 14 years of leadership where fewer than 300 members participated in a central committee session. The current committee began its term in 2022 with more than 370 members. The absence of dozens of members, many of whom have been investigated or vanished from public view, creates a visible gap in the leadership structure. Experts argue that the campaign is less about addressing specific instances of corruption and more about consolidating authority. The continuation and expansion of these purges depend largely on how secure Xi feels in his position, rather than on the actual prevalence of misconduct. Recent days have seen further evidence of this trend, with Beijing Vice Mayor Xia Linmao placed under investigation for serious violations of discipline. Such moves illustrate the relentless pace of the personnel shake-ups. The party’s rhetoric emphasizes the need to confront "formidable challenges" posed by corruption and moral decline, framing the purges as necessary steps to preserve the integrity of the organization. As the party moves forward, the emphasis on rigorous self-governance signals that the internal cleansing is set to continue, reinforcing the leader’s grip on the institution as he approaches the next major leadership transition.