In China, 33 officials were expelled from the party. The purges affected the senior military leadership. The Fifth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. The plenum prepared only 279 members of the central committee - less than in previous meetings. After personnel changes in the Central Military Council, out of seven regular members, only two remained - Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin. Experts cited by the BBC believe Xi Jinping is using the purges to bolster his personal power ahead of the 2027 CPC Congress. Officially, the authorities explain the expulsions as violations of party discipline and corruption, but do not reveal any details. In the first nine months of 2026, disciplinary measures affected 680 thousand people in the party apparatus. Xi Jinping has been campaigning against corruption since 2012. According to experts, it became a tool to fight disloyalty and strengthen control over the party and the army. He is expected to be re-elected to a fourth term at the 2027 convention.

In China, 33 officials were expelled from the party. The purges affected the senior military leadership. The Fifth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. The plenum prepared only 279 members of the central committee - less than in previous meetings. After personnel changes in the Central Military Council, out of seven regular members, only two remained - Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin. Experts cited by the BBC believe Xi Jinping is using the purges to bolster his personal power ahead of the 2027 CPC Congress. Officially, the authorities explain the expulsions as violations of party discipline and corruption, but do not reveal any details. In the first nine months of 2026, disciplinary measures affected 680 thousand people in the party apparatus. Xi Jinping has been campaigning against corruption since 2012. According to experts, it became a tool to fight disloyalty and strengthen control over the party and the army. He is expected to be re-elected to a fourth term at the 2027 convention.