By Basant El-Faramawy
China's Communist Party leadership concluded a four-day plenary session this week by endorsing stricter internal discipline and anti-corruption measures, a signature priority of President Xi Jinping. The decisions could set the stage for personnel changes in key leadership bodies next year, when Xi is expected to secure a fourth term as party leader.
Plenum Adopts Resolution on Discipline
The Central Committee's fifth plenum adopted a resolution Thursday on strengthening discipline and combating corruption. It also ratified the expulsions of more than 30 senior officials from the party, including one who served as the army's top general until early this year. The remaining general on the commission overseeing China's military was promoted to the Politburo, one of the top decision-making bodies.
Senior Officials Expelled, Military Leader Promoted
On Friday, party officials outlined plans to implement the plenum's decisions, emphasizing tighter discipline. Zhang Fuhai, deputy director of the Central Committee for Discipline Inspection, acknowledged that misconduct and breaches of discipline remain persistent, entrenched, and recurring, requiring unwavering long-term commitment.
Massive Discipline Campaign Since 2012
Since Xi took power in 2012, disciplinary and supervisory agencies have opened 8.1 million cases and disciplined 7.9 million people. Those disciplined include 963 senior officials under the direct management of the party's central leadership. Huang Jianfa, deputy head of the Central Organization Department, said severe punishment of corrupt officials encourages and protects those who serve with integrity.
Analysts Warn of Risks to Initiative and Meritocracy
Analysts say the expulsions reflect Xi's efforts to tighten control, especially over the military. Benjamin Hillman, a professor at the Australian National University, suggested recent purges signal frustration with officials' lack of enthusiasm for Xi's ambitious policy agenda. Dongshu Liu, a professor at the City University of Hong Kong, warned of a competency-loyalty trade-off that could sacrifice meritocracy for personal loyalty, potentially weakening problem-solving capacity.
Long-Term Challenge for Party Control
Hillman added that harsher discipline may lead to superficial compliance, such as holding meetings and training sessions to demonstrate loyalty without real action. Ruby Osman, a senior policy adviser at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, said Xi views corruption as the biggest long-term threat to the party's grip on power, but cautioned that ensuring Beijing's priorities are delivered across China's vast bureaucracy is often easier said than done.
