China’s Communist Party confirms record wave of expulsions

China’s Communist Party confirmed the expulsion of 33 senior officials at the fifth plenum of its Central Committee, the largest such group recorded at one of the body’s sessions. The official communiqué listed the cases and said 162 full members and 117 alternate members attended, a total of 279. The committee originally had 376 full and alternate members when selected in 2022.

Reuters and the Guardian calculated that more than a quarter of that original cohort was absent, although not every absence was explained as a disciplinary case. Those expelled included former senior military leader Zhang Youxia and former Xinjiang party chief Ma Xingrui. Ten alternates were elevated to fill vacancies, and the plenum scheduled the next five-year party congress for the second half of 2027.

The party presents the campaign as enforcement against corruption and disloyalty. Analysts also debate whether it removes political rivals and has weakened institutional continuity; that interpretation is not an official finding. The attendance record and named expulsions are verifiable, but unexplained empty seats should not automatically be counted as purges. The next congress will show how the depleted leadership ranks are rebuilt and whether Xi Jinping secures an expected fourth term as party leader.