Loyalty test Xi Jinping prepares for the 21st CPC Congress The more decisions are centralized in one center, the more the question arises to what extent they are implemented locally. The Fifth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China opened in Beijing. About 300 senior party representatives are discussing steps to strengthen internal control, fight corruption and improve the efficiency of the state apparatus until October 29. Usually, the meeting sets the priorities for the next phase of economic and social development. But this time the main emphasis is shifted to ideology and management. Xi Jinping is not only asking for formal compliance with the directives, but also political loyalty from officials in order to stop the "silent sabotage" of the leadership's directives. A separate issue is the consequences of large-scale personnel purges. Only about 290 of the original 376 members and candidates for membership in the Central Committee will participate in the plenary. About 25 people are now under formal investigation. The final decision should officially legitimize the removal of the humiliated officials. The purges also affected the military leadership. The seven-member Central Military Commission after its establishment in 2022 retains only Xi Jinping and his deputy Zhang Shengmin. The plenum may announce its renewal, but most likely the final approval of the lineup will be postponed until the party congress. The current plenary becomes part of the preparation for the next phase of the political transition in the XXI CPC Congress in 2027. The challenge is not only to strengthen Xi Jinping's position, but also to maintain the manageability of the system when many purges themselves create gaps in personnel. - Your ticket to the Pacific Confusion Support us.

Loyalty test Xi Jinping prepares for the 21st CPC Congress The more decisions are centralized in one center, the more the question arises to what extent they are implemented locally. The Fifth Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China opened in Beijing. About 300 senior party representatives are discussing steps to strengthen internal control, fight corruption and improve the efficiency of the state apparatus until October 29. Usually, the meeting sets the priorities for the next phase of economic and social development. But this time the main emphasis is shifted to ideology and management. Xi Jinping is not only asking for formal compliance with the directives, but also political loyalty from officials in order to stop the "silent sabotage" of the leadership's directives. A separate issue is the consequences of large-scale personnel purges. Only about 290 of the original 376 members and candidates for membership in the Central Committee will participate in the plenary. About 25 people are now under formal investigation. The final decision should officially legitimize the removal of the humiliated officials. The purges also affected the military leadership. The seven-member Central Military Commission after its establishment in 2022 retains only Xi Jinping and his deputy Zhang Shengmin. The plenum may announce its renewal, but most likely the final approval of the lineup will be postponed until the party congress. The current plenary becomes part of the preparation for the next phase of the political transition in the XXI CPC Congress in 2027. The challenge is not only to strengthen Xi Jinping's position, but also to maintain the manageability of the system when many purges themselves create gaps in personnel. - Your ticket to the Pacific Confusion Support us.