President Xi Jinping has promoted his anti-corruption enforcer inside the military, General Zhang Shengmin, to China's powerful Politburo, while the lowest attendance rate on record since the Mao Zedong era at a key party gathering signals the sharpness of his purges ahead of an expected fourth term next year.
Zhang Shengmin, the top general who has served as Xi's anti-corruption enforcer in the People's Liberation Army, was elevated to the Politburo during the "fifth plenum", a meeting of several hundred delegates on the party's Central Committee. His promotion leaves just two members on the party's Central Military Commission, China's supreme military decision-making body: Xi and Zhang. Over the past two years, Xi has purged the five other generals he hand-picked to serve on the commission.
Plenums are held annually to rubber-stamp Xi's agenda, but this year's gathering, held behind closed doors at a guarded hotel in Beijing, was notable for its empty chairs. Only 279 delegates attended, an attendance rate of 74 per cent, the lowest on record since the Mao Zedong era. Among the confirmed fallen were 33 officials, including former Politburo member Ma Xingrui and former senior military leader Zhang Youxia, who were expelled from the party.
“It's hard to read a PLA general's future these days,” said Shengyu Wang, a researcher of Chinese elite politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “It's a case of now you see me, now you don't.” Analysts will study footage of the meeting hall aired by state broadcaster CCTV frame by frame to see who is missing and might be under investigation.
The message from the plenum, which wrapped on Thursday, was that the purges will not slow. "We must maintain a high-pressure stance against corruption," said a communiqué released after the meeting, endorsing the strategy of "not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt". Xi himself has signalled frustration that directives from Beijing were not being obeyed by provincial officials. In a speech published this month, he complained about "two-faced people" who loudly commit to major party decisions "while inwardly resisting, acting arbitrarily, and even disobeying order" and warned they must be exposed and eliminated.
Xi abolished term limits in 2018 and is expected, if the weight of expectations holds, to secure an unprecedented fourth term at the 21st Party Congress in the second half of next year. China expert Neil Thomas and his colleagues at the Asia Society have likened Xi to Leninist Logan Roy, the patriarch in HBO's Succession, who “presides over an enormous enterprise, exercises commanding authority, and remains perpetually disappointed by the people expected to carry out his wishes.”
Xi has ensured he has no successor, but it has left the challenge of grooming a new generation of trusted cadres while filling vacancies in senior leadership positions from a shrinking talent pool. Zhang's elevation should see him survive through to next year's party congress, but nothing is guaranteed.
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Number of Central Committee members attending recent plenums
delegates
Fifth plenum attendance is lowest since Mao era. Source: BBC News
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Analysis
Why This Matters
Xi's ongoing purges of military and party officials consolidate his personal power but hollow out leadership ranks, creating uncertainty about succession and institutional stability.
The record-low attendance at the plenum indicates the breadth of the anti-corruption campaign, affecting governance and the party's ability to implement directives from Beijing.
China's elite politics remain opaque; foreign governments and investors rely on signals like these to assess the country's political trajectory and policy continuity.
Background
Xi Jinping abolished presidential term limits in 2018, clearing the way for an indefinite stay in power. Since 2012, hundreds of senior and lower-ranking officials have been removed or investigated as part of his anti-corruption campaign. The fifth plenum is a routine annual meeting of the Central Committee, but this year's gathering was closely watched as a barometer of who remains in favour ahead of the 21st Party Congress in the second half of 2027.
Key Perspectives
Xi Jinping and the party leadership: The communiqué from the plenum endorsed a high-pressure stance against corruption, with Xi warning in a recent speech about "two-faced people" who resist central directives and must be "exposed and eliminated."
Shengyu Wang, researcher at the Asia Society Policy Institute: "It's hard to read a PLA general's future these days. It's a case of now you see me, now you don't."
Mingda Qiu, senior analyst at Eurasia Group: The plenum is a "very interesting time for China watchers to see who is actually still sitting in the meeting hall, which means they are still safe at this moment."
Asia Society analysts including Neil Thomas: They likened Xi to "Leninist Logan Roy", presiding over an enormous enterprise with commanding authority, perpetually disappointed by subordinates.
What to Watch
Whether any more senior military or party officials are publicly named as under investigation or expelled in the coming months.
Attendance patterns and seating arrangements at future party meetings as indicators of who remains in favour.
The timing and announcements from the 21st Party Congress in the second half of 2027, where Xi is expected to secure a fourth term.
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
Partly supportedThe headline says Xi warned that the purges will continue.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The message delivered at the plenum, and intended to filter down to millions of party cadres across the country, is there will be no slowing down.”
SupportedPlenum attendance was the lowest on record since the Mao era.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Just 279 delegates were present, an attendance rate of 74 per cent — the lowest on record since the Mao Zedong era”
SupportedZhang Shengmin was promoted to the Politburo at the fifth plenum.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The top general, and Xi’s anti-corruption enforcer inside the military, was promoted to China’s powerful politburo during a meeting of hundreds of party officials on Thursday.”
SupportedThe Central Military Commission has two members left: Xi and Zhang Shengmin.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Zhang is just one of two remaining members on the party’s Central Military Commission, China’s supreme military decision-making body. The other is Xi.”
SupportedOver the past two years, Xi purged five other generals he had hand-picked for the commission.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Over the past two years, Xi has purged the five other generals he hand-picked to serve on the commission”
SupportedThere were 279 attendees, a 74 per cent attendance rate.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Just 279 delegates were present, an attendance rate of 74 per cent”
SupportedThirty-three officials, including Ma Xingrui and Zhang Youxia, were expelled from the party.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Among the confirmed fallen were 33 officials, including former Politburo member Ma Xingrui and former senior military leader Zhang Youxia, who were expelled from the party.”
SupportedShengyu Wang said, “It's hard to read a PLA general's future these days” and “It's a case of now you see me, now you don't.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““It’s hard to read a PLA general’s future these days,” says Shengyu Wang, a researcher of Chinese elite politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “It’s a case of now you see me, now you don’t.””
SupportedThe communiqué said, “We must maintain a high-pressure stance against corruption.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““We must maintain a high-pressure stance against corruption,” said a communiqué released after the meeting wrapped on Thursday.”
SupportedXi complained about “two-faced people” and warned they must be exposed and eliminated.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “In a speech published this month, he complained about “two-faced people” who loudly commit to major party decisions “while inwardly resisting, acting arbitrarily, and even disobeying order”. They must be exposed and eliminated he warned.”
SupportedXi is expected to secure a fourth term at the 21st Party Congress in the second half of next year, if expectations hold.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “In about a year from now, if the weight of expectations holds, Xi Jinping will secure an unprecedented fourth term as China’s paramount leader.”