China expels record 33 Communist Party members as Xi tightens discipline
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China has expelled a record 33 members from the Communist Party following a four-day political gathering in Beijing, as President Xi Jinping intensifies his campaign against corruption and disloyalty within the party.
The fifth plenum of the Central Committee was attended by 279 members, down from 315 at the previous gathering in October 2025. It was the first time in Xi’s 14 years as leader that attendance fell below 300.
Sixteen of those expelled were military officials. Among the prominent figures removed were former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui and former senior generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. The party cited serious disciplinary and legal violations but provided few details of the allegations.
The latest expulsions bring the number of members removed during Xi’s third term to 51, compared with 35 during his first term and five during his second.
China’s anti-corruption watchdog also reported that 680,000 people across the party apparatus had been disciplined in the first nine months of this year.
Analysts say the campaign increasingly serves to consolidate Xi’s authority ahead of a leadership reshuffle expected in 2027, when he is widely expected to seek another term.
