BEIJING, November 3: China’s Communist Party has confirmed the expulsion of 33 people from its Central Committee, including former Central Military Commission vice-chairman Zhang Youxia and 15 other military figures, according to the communique of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee. The four-day plenum, which ended on October 29, also promoted ten alternate members to fill vacancies, elected Zhang Shengmin to the Politburo and set the 21st Party Congress for the second half of 2027.
Key highlights
- The plenum met in Beijing from October 26 to 29, attended by 162 full members and 117 alternate members of the Central Committee.
- It confirmed earlier Politburo decisions to expel 33 people from the party, among them Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli, Ma Xingrui, Liu Jianchao, Yi Huiman and Jin Zhuanglong.
- Sixteen of the 33 were named in reports by the Central Military Commission — almost half of the total.
- Li Yunze was removed from his party posts but not expelled.
- Ten alternate members were made full members, and Zhang Shengmin was elected to the Politburo.
- The 21st National Party Congress will be held in Beijing in the second half of 2027.
What the communique says
The plenum adopted a resolution on persevering with “full and rigorous party self-governance”. The communique said the problem of “lax and weak” self-supervision had been “addressed at the root”, declared that “the Party tolerates no corruption”, and said those who fail in self-supervision would be strictly held to account. It presented the expulsions as the confirmation of decisions already taken by the Politburo.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 26–29, 2026, Beijing |
| Attendance | 162 full members, 117 alternate members |
| Expulsions confirmed | 33 people, including 16 named in Central Military Commission reports |
| Removed from party posts (not expelled) | Li Yunze |
| Alternates promoted to full members | 10: Lu Dongliang, Bao Gang, Xing Shanping, Qu Yingpu, Lv Jun, Zhu Tianshu, Zhu Guoxian, Liu Jun, Liu Jie, Liu Qiang |
| Politburo | Zhang Shengmin elected a member |
| Next Party Congress | 21st National Congress, second half of 2027, Beijing |
The military names
The 16 people named in the Central Military Commission’s reports are Zhang Youxia, Liu Zhenli, Wang Renhua, Liu Qingsong, Huang Ming, Li Qiaoming, Li Wei, Zhang Hongbing, Wang Haijiang, Zhang Lin, Wang Peng, Liu Faqing, Yang Cheng, Zhong Shaojun, Zhao Xiaozhe and Fang Yongxiang. Zhang Youxia had been the Commission’s first-ranking vice-chairman under Xi Jinping, and Liu Zhenli headed its Joint Staff Department. Zhang Shengmin, who was elevated to the Politburo, has been a vice-chairman of the Commission since 2025.
Our calculation
- Military share: 16 of the 33 expelled — about 48% — were named in military reports.
- A thinner Central Committee: the 20th Central Committee elected 205 full members in 2022; only 162 attended this plenum, even after ten alternates were promoted to fill vacancies.
- Time to the Congress: the 21st Party Congress is now about 8 to 14 months away, depending on the exact date in the second half of 2027.
What it means
The scale of the expulsions — especially at the top of the People’s Liberation Army — shows that Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign has reached deep into the military command in the run-up to the 2027 Party Congress, which will settle the next leadership line-up. For China’s neighbours, including India, Japan and Taiwan, the immediate question is how the turnover at the top of the PLA affects its decision-making and readiness; the longer-term question is who fills the vacant posts on the Central Military Commission.
What to watch
- Appointments to the Central Military Commission’s vacant seats.
- Further disciplinary announcements by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
- The timetable and preparations for the 21st Party Congress in 2027.
Related: China’s CPC plenum closes, sets 21st Party Congress for second half of 2027.
File photo: Zhang Youxia, then vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, in Moscow in December 2017. Image: Press Service of the President of Russia (kremlin.ru), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China: Communique of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (October 29, 2026)
- Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China: communique of the Fifth Plenary Session (Chinese)
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
