Key Facts

The four-day Fifth Plenum of the Communist Party of China, which ended in Beijing on 29 October 2026, confirmed that 33 members of the Central Committee, including 16 generals of the People's Liberation Army, have been expelled, signalling that the anti-corruption purge will continue. Only 279 of the 376 members appointed at the 20th Party Congress in 2022 attended. Those removed include Politburo members Ma Xingrui and Zhang Youxia, who was also a Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission. The plenum announced that the 21st Party Congress will be held in the second half of 2027, likely marking the start of an unprecedented fourth five-year term for Xi Jinping, and Xi's succession remains unclear.

GK Context

The National Congress of the CPC meets once every five years and elects the Central Committee, which in turn elects the Politburo and its Standing Committee. The Central Military Commission, headed by Xi Jinping, commands the PLA, and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is the party's anti-graft body. China's real-estate slowdown and weak job market add economic pressure at a time of political consolidation, which matters to India as a neighbour with an unresolved border and deep trade links.