Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive dominates agenda as Chinese Communist Party prepares for key plenum

Analysts say the purge targets both corruption and political disloyalty, as Xi tightens grip ahead of expected fourth term

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published26 October 2026

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China’s top leaders gather this week for a key meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, with party discipline and anti-corruption at the top of the agenda. The fifth plenum, which begins Monday, is expected to focus on what state media calls the party’s full and rigorous self-governance, a term analysts say refers to loyalty and anti-corruption under President Xi Jinping. The meeting comes amid a high-level purge that has seen the military’s top body reduced to just two members.

President Xi Jinping’s signature anti-corruption campaign shows no sign of slowing as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) convenes its fifth plenum this week. Last year, disciplinary authorities investigated more than one million people, including over 100 officials at or above the ministerial or provincial level.

The meeting of the CCP’s Central Committee, expected to be the last substantive gathering before next year’s 21st Party Congress, will focus on “major issues on advancing the party’s full and rigorous self-governance,” according to state media. Analysts say this is party-speak for discipline, loyalty and anti-corruption.

Xi, who came to power in 2012 vowing to stamp out corruption, has made the drive a permanent feature of his rule. Nearly all investigations result in convictions, raising questions about whether targets are guilty of corruption or are instead political rivals.

Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London, said that in Xi’s worldview, “if you’re corrupt, you’re not politically loyal. If you’re politically loyal, you’re not corrupt.” He added that the CCP sees corruption as including “spiritual corruption”, meaning political disloyalty.

The purge has extended to the highest levels. In January, China’s top general, Zhang Youxia, was placed under investigation and later expelled from the party. The Central Military Commission has been reduced from its usual seven members to just two: Xi and the commission’s head of discipline.

Other high-profile targets have included Ma Xingrui, former party secretary for Xinjiang, and Huang Qifan, former mayor of Chongqing, who had survived earlier political upheavals. Some analysts suggest the scale of the purge indicates instability, but Xi likely sees it as a tool to enforce unity and demonstrate his authority.

Neil Thomas of the Asia Society noted that Xi “has made the party less corrupt and strengthened his control, but he knows that tougher punishment cannot fully resolve the problem of officials putting their own interests ahead of the party’s.” His answer, Thomas said, is to keep tightening discipline with no end point.

With Xi expected to be anointed for a fourth term at next year’s party congress, the plenum offers a chance to refocus the party on discipline and eliminate potential threats.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

Xi’s anti-corruption campaign is central to his control of the party and state, affecting millions of officials.
The plenum signals priorities for the final year before the party congress, with implications for China’s leadership and stability.
The purge of military and civilian leaders suggests Xi is consolidating power ahead of a possible fourth term, which could reshape China’s policy direction.

Background

The fifth plenum is the fifth of seven gatherings that normally happen in every five-year cycle between CCP congresses. It brings together more than 300 members of the party’s Central Committee. Xi came to power in 2012 pledging to stamp out corruption, and his anti-corruption drive has continued unabated, with investigations now reaching the highest levels of the party and military.

Key Perspectives

Xi Jinping: has warned that the party could “lose its ruling status and inevitably be eliminated by history” if it cannot get its house in order, and called that “by no means an exaggeration.”

Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London: says that in Xi’s worldview, “if you’re corrupt, you’re not politically loyal. If you’re politically loyal, you’re not corrupt.” He adds that the CCP sees “spiritual corruption” as including political disloyalty.

Neil Thomas, senior fellow at the Asia Society: says Xi “has made the party less corrupt and strengthened his control” but argues tougher punishment cannot fully resolve officials putting their own interests first, so Xi’s “answer is to keep tightening discipline, making anti-corruption a permanent method of governing.”

What to Watch

The outcome of the plenum: whether it produces new anti-corruption measures or personnel changes.
Upcoming 21st Party Congress next year, where Xi is expected to be confirmed for a fourth term.
Any further high-profile purges, especially within the military, as a sign of continued consolidation.

Sources

Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders · The Guardian

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.

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Partly supportedXi’s anti-corruption drive dominates the plenum agenda.World news | The Guardian: “Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders. ... discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda.”
SupportedAnalysts say the purge targets corruption and political disloyalty, as Xi tightens his control ahead of an expected fourth term.World news | The Guardian: “Kerry Brown, director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College London, explained that in Xi’s worldview, which is obsessed with discipline and loyalty, there may not be much difference between the two. ... Xi has made the party less corrupt and strengthened his control”
SupportedThe fifth plenum is set to focus on “major issues on advancing the party’s full and rigorous self-governance.”World news | The Guardian: “The “fifth plenum” starts on Monday and is set to focus on “major issues on advancing the party’s full and rigorous self-governance”, according to a Chinese state media.”
SupportedThe meeting is this week, begins Monday, and has party discipline and anti-corruption high on its agenda.World news | The Guardian: “As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials prepare for an important meeting this week discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda. The “fifth plenum” starts on Monday”
SupportedLast year, disciplinary authorities investigated more than one million people, including over 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.World news | The Guardian: “Last year, China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.”
SupportedInvestigations nearly always result in convictions, raising questions about whether targets are guilty of corruption or are political rivals.World news | The Guardian: “As Xi continues to crack down on corruption, the fact that investigations nearly always result in a conviction begs the question over whether targets are truly guilty of corruption, or are they just political rivals to the people in charge.”
SupportedKerry Brown said, “if you’re corrupt, you’re not politically loyal. If you’re politically loyal, you’re not corrupt.”World news | The Guardian: ““If you’re corrupt, you’re not politically loyal. If you’re politically loyal, you’re not corrupt,” Brown said.”
SupportedBrown said corruption includes “spiritual corruption”, meaning political disloyalty.World news | The Guardian: “He added that in the CCP system, “corruption is not just material things”, but also “spiritual corruption”, which includes political disloyalty.”
SupportedThe Central Military Commission has been reduced from its usual seven members to two: Xi and its head of discipline.World news | The Guardian: “A host of other purges means that the CMC, which normally has seven members, has been reduced to just two: Xi and Zhang Shengmin, the CMC’s head of discipline.”
SupportedNeil Thomas said Xi has made the party less corrupt and strengthened his control, but tougher punishment cannot fully resolve officials putting their interests ahead of the party’s.World news | The Guardian: “Xi has made the party less corrupt and strengthened his control, but he knows that tougher punishment cannot fully resolve the problem of officials putting their own interests ahead of the party’s.”
SupportedThe meeting is likely to be the last substantive gathering before next year’s 21st Party Congress, where Xi is expected to be anointed for a fourth term.World news | The Guardian: “The upcoming meeting is particularly significant because it is likely to be the last substantive meeting before next year’s 21st Party Congress, where a new Central Committee will be chosen, and where Xi is expected to be anointed for a fourth term as the head of the CCP.”
Partly supportedThe plenum offers a chance to refocus the party on discipline and eliminate potential threats.World news | The Guardian: “The job may be never ending, but the plenum is an opportunity to refocus the party’s energy on discipline. ... Eliminating anyone who poses a risk to his authority or to the party’s credibility is a key priority for Xi.”