China Party Expels Record 33 Members: Discipline Focus

Chinese Communist Party members face stricter enforcement of internal rules after the party expelled a record 33 individuals from its Central Committee. This action concluded a four-day political gathering in Beijing that ended on Thursday. The number of attendees at the fifth plenum was 279, a decline from 315 at the previous plenum in October 2025 and 364 in July 2024.

The communique released by the party identified 16 of the expelled members as military personnel. It cited serious disciplinary and legal violations without specifying the exact charges. This lack of detail is common in the party's anti-corruption efforts. Chong Ja Ian, a non-resident scholar at Carnegie China, described the current campaign as a move to consolidate authority. He noted that the scope of the purge depends on how secure Xi Jinping feels rather than specific cases of graft.

The party statement acknowledged that leadership had occasionally weakened or hollowed out. It pledged to continue strict self-governance by turning the knife inward to curb disorder. These 33 expulsions bring the total number of members removed during Xi's third term to 51. This figure exceeds the 34 removed in his second term and the five removed in his first.

The central anti-corruption body reported disciplining 680,000 party members in the first nine months of the year. This marks the first time in Xi's 14 years of leadership that plenum attendance fell below 300. The current Central Committee began its term in 2022 with more than 370 members. Analysts suggest Xi views corruption as both financial misconduct and ideological disloyalty.

In January, Xi warned against two-faced cadres who claim loyalty but act in their own self-interest. High-profile figures among the expelled include Ma Xingrui, former party chief of Xinjiang, and generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. Official announcements stated they violated party discipline and rules. Neil Thomas, Lobsang Tsering, and Shengyu Wang of the Asia Society Policy Institute said the removal of senior military leaders is in a category of its own. They noted this raises questions about organizational leadership and combat readiness despite new military hardware.

Zhang Youxia served as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission. The commission, which controls the armed forces, has been reduced to two members: Xi as chairman and Zhang Shengmin as vice-chairman. Ma Xingrui and Zhang Youxia were former members of the Politburo. Their removal, along with that of general He Weidong in 2025, left the 24-member Politburo with 21 seats at one point. Zhang Shengmin was promoted to the Politburo during this plenum, raising the count to 22.

Liu Jianchao, a former diplomat who disappeared from public view in July 2025, was also named in the purge. Chong stated that Xi removes people he promoted with little opposition, underscoring his unassailable position. Analysts link the emphasis on discipline to the upcoming 21st Party Congress in 2027. A leadership reshuffle is expected then, and many predict Xi will seek a fourth term. Thomas said Xi will scrutinize the next cohort closely given the current losses, looking toward young technocrats with connections to his network.