China’s Communist Party has expelled a record 33 members following a major political gathering, as President Xi Jinping continues his campaign to crack down on corruption within the party.
According to China Daily, the four-day plenum concluded on Oct 29 after discussions on the party’s achievements and efforts to strengthen internal governance.
The meeting also highlighted measures to ensure officials would not dare to engage in corruption. Unlike previous plenums, which focused largely on economic reforms, social issues and development, this gathering placed party discipline at the centre of its discussions, the BBC reported.
The latest plenum also recorded the lowest attendance during Xi’s 14 years in power. A total of 279 Central Committee members attended, compared with 315 at the fourth plenum in October 2025 and 364 at the third plenum in July 2024.
It was the first time attendance at a plenum had fallen below 300 during Xi’s leadership. China Daily reported that the meeting also discussed filling vacant seats on the Central Committee with alternate members.
The party further decided to hold its 21st National Congress in Beijing in the second half of 2027. The congress, held every five years, determines the party’s leadership and, ultimately, China’s leadership, according to the BBC.
Xi has made eliminating corruption one of his key priorities since taking power in 2012. Chinese state-owned media outlet Xinhua reported that more than two million individuals had faced disciplinary action over what it described as “pointless formality, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance”.
Of the 33 members expelled in the latest purge, 16 were from the military, according to a BBC report published on Oct 29.
The latest dismissals bring the number of Central Committee members removed during Xi’s third term to 51, compared with 35 in his first term and five in his second.
China’s top anti-corruption watchdog also reported that 680,000 Communist Party members had been disciplined during the first nine months of 2026, the BBC reported.
Among the high-ranking officials removed were former Xinjiang Party chief Ma Xingrui and former generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli.
Xinhua reported that Ma was investigated and found to have violated political organisation and integrity discipline. He was also accused of helping family members purchase homes below market value and engaging in money-for-sex transactions, among other misconduct.
The BBC reported that Ma and Zhang were former Politburo members. Their removal, together with that of former general He Weidong, reduced the 24-member Politburo to 21 members.
Former diplomat Liu Jianchao was also among those purged after disappearing from public view in July 2025, the BBC reported.
