China’s Communist Party Expels Record Number of Members Amid Focus on Party Discipline

China’s Communist Party expelled a record number of members as it concluded a major annual political gathering in Beijing, according to a BBC report. During the four-day closed-door fifth plenum, party discipline took centre stage as officials addressed what the party described as a grim reality where leadership had at times weakened.

According to the BBC, the meeting was attended by 279 Central Committee members, marking the first time in Xi Jinping’s 14 years of leadership that plenum attendance fell below 300. In comparison, the fourth plenum in October 2025 was attended by 315 members, while the third plenum in July 2024 saw 364 attendees. The current Central Committee initially began its term in 2022 with more than 370 members.

Party Discipline and Expulsions Under Xi Jinping

The recent communique revealed that 33 members have been expelled from the party, with 16 of those individuals coming from the military. These latest departures bring the total number of members removed under Xi’s third term to a record 51, following 34 removals in his first term and five in his second term.

Beyond the plenum, China’s top anti-corruption watchdog reported that 680,000 individuals across the broader party apparatus were disciplined in the first nine months of the year. Observers note that Xi views corruption not merely as financial graft, but as ideological impurity and disloyalty. Chong Ja Ian, a non-resident scholar with Carnegie China, told the BBC that the campaign has evolved into an effort to consolidate and maintain authority.

High-Profile Departures and Military Leadership

High-ranking officials expelled during the crackdown include former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui, former top generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, and former prominent diplomat Liu Jianchao. The culling of top military brass has drawn specific commentary from analysts at the Asia Society Policy Institute, who described the scale as unique and noted it raises questions about organisational leadership and combat readiness.

With the removal of key military figures, the Central Military Commission was whittled down to two members, though Zhang Shengmin was subsequently promoted to the top decision-making body during the fifth plenum, bringing the Politburo total to 22 members.

Future Leadership Outlook

Analysts suggest the heightened focus on loyalty and discipline serves as preparation for next year’s Party Congress, where a leadership reshuffle is due in 2027. Many observers anticipate that Xi will seek to hold onto the top job for a fourth term and beyond, matching a tenure length previously held only by modern China founder Mao Zedong.

Source: Record number of purges as Xi emphasises 'party discipline' at China political gathering (source-feed timestamp 2026-10-29T11:34:03+00:00). AI-assisted report based on the cited linked article and its RSS feed; details were not independently verified.