Full Breakdown
Xi’s Fifth Plenum: Discipline, Purges, and the Road to the 2027 Party Congress
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – The Fifth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee
From October 26 through the end of the month, President Xi Jinping will convene the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its fifth plenary session. The closed-door meeting of roughly 300 senior officials will focus on “full and rigorous party self-governance,” a phrase that has anchored Xi’s anti-corruption and discipline campaigns since 2014. The plenum can ratify expulsions of Politburo members and reshape the Central Military Commission (CMC), making it pivotal before the 2027 Party Congress.
Background & Context
Since assuming power, Xi has used party-building sessions to cement his authority. The concept of “full and rigorous party self-governance” entered CCP terminology at the 18th Party Congress in 2012 and has been reiterated in every subsequent plenum. Xi’s anti-corruption drive, launched in 2014, has removed hundreds of senior cadres, including longtime allies. The 2025 plenum saw the lowest post-Mao attendance, a signal of ongoing purges.
Data & Statistics
- Central Committee composition: 205 full members, 152 alternates.
- Attendance at the 2025 plenum: 168 full members (lowest post-Mao level).
- PLA representation: 44 Central Committee members in 2022, reduced to 17; 12 of 19 dismissed members since the last plenum were from the PLA.
- Politburo turnover: Brookings notes two former Politburo members (Zhang Youxia and Ma Xingrui) slated for expulsion; Internazionale reports three of the 24 Politburo members elected in 2022 are gone, the most removals in a term since 1980.
- CMC composition: Shrunk from seven members at the start of Xi’s third term to two (Xi and General Zhang Shengmin) according to Brookings; Internazionale cites five of the original seven members removed.
- Projected eligible Politburo candidates: Approximately 55 officials meet the typical age and ministerial-experience criteria, though requirements have become more flexible.
Official Statements & Responses
In the party’s theoretical journal *Qiushi*, Xi warned against “power-for-money, and power-for-sex transactions” and condemned “two-faced” officials who undermine party unity. Party officials describe the discipline drive as a “phoenix-like rebirth” of the military, asserting that stricter oversight is needed because “the stakes are getting higher.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Politburo removals: Brookings identifies two specific expulsions (Zhang Youxia, Ma Xingrui), while Internazionale cites three Politburo members removed since 2022, indicating a discrepancy in the total count.
- CMC attrition: Brookings reports the CMC now has two members, whereas Internazionale states five of the original seven have been removed, suggesting differing definitions of “original” membership.
What’s Next – Outlook to the 2027 Party Congress
Analysts expect the fifth plenum to focus on signalling system-wide changes rather than announcing individual promotions. The meeting is likely to ratify the expulsions of Zhang Youxia and Ma Xingrui and to reaffirm the discipline campaign. With many of Xi’s close civilian allies slated to retire before the 2027 reshuffle, the party will need to promote younger cadres who align with Xi’s standards, a process that will unfold over the coming year.