China's Ruling Elite Begin Closed-Door Political Meetings in Beijing

UPDATE - follow-up to China's Communist Party elite hold key talks on governance: Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a key meeting of Communist Party elites in Beijing on Monday. Roughly 300 members of the ruling Communist Party's Central Committee are attending this fifth plenum to tighten discipline, reduce corruption, and make cadres more effective and loyal. Mr. Xi presented a draft decision setting out strategic plans for strengthening Party self-governance.

Meeting Details

Few details from the closed-door gathering, held under tight security, will emerge until it concludes on Thursday. The fifth plenum precedes a major party congress next year, where 73-year-old Mr. Xi is almost certain to secure a fourth term and oversee a leadership reshuffle. Mr. Xi has waged a 14-year campaign against corruption that has purged thousands of officials. However, he remains frustrated with cadres he deems are not implementing his orders, having railed against politically opportunistic officials in a January speech.

Attendance Impact

Due to expansive purges, this year's plenum is expected to have the lowest turnout since former leader Mao Zedong's death in 1976. Eight Central Committee seats are vacant and 15 members are under investigation. The anti-corruption drive has also targeted the military, removing five of seven members of the Central Military Commission. Of 44 military members appointed in 2022, only two remain unpurged or missing, according to the Asia Society Policy Institute.

Economic Context

These talks occur while China's economy struggles with sluggish domestic spending and a protracted property sector crisis. Turbulent political and economic ties with the United States also weigh on leaders. Authorities will release a summary of outcomes after the meeting ends on Thursday.

Context

Plenums of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee serve as major milestones for top leaders to set policy directions and manage internal party politics. High-level purges and anti-corruption campaigns are frequently used to consolidate political authority ahead of major leadership transitions.