Xi to reshape Central Committee at fourth plenum session
The four-day gathering, which concludes Thursday, aims to tighten Party discipline one year before the next national Congress.
By Layla Petrov ·
Approximately 300 members of the Communist Party of China Central Committee gathered in Beijing on Monday for the Fifth Plenum.
The closed-door session is scheduled to run through Thursday and will produce a public summary of decisions and a detailed policy document.
State media indicated that the meeting is intended to strengthen governance and discipline within the Party ranks.
This plenum occurs one year before the next Party Congress, an event that will appoint a new central committee and set national priorities.
Analysts expect the Congress to reappoint General Secretary Xi Jinping as leader, a move enabled by the previous abolition of term limits.
The Politburo, a 21-member body, released a statement in September confirming that the plenum would address major issues related to comprehensive strict governance.
Delegates are facing a reduced roster due to recent purges that removed numerous senior officials.
The Asia Society Policy Institute reported that only two of the 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022 remain in their positions.
The Central Military Commission, which oversees the armed forces, has been reduced to two members: Xi and one other general.
The plenum provides an opportunity for the leadership to appoint new officers to the military commission and align delegate views ahead of the Congress.
Officials have not announced the specific location of the meeting, though past sessions have been held at the Jingxi Hotel in Beijing.
The gathering is part of a series of at least seven plenums held during each five-year term of the Central Committee.
