Xi Jinping to fill 42 military posts at Beijing plenum

The Chinese Central Committee is meeting in Beijing to restructure the nation's military command.

The Fifth Plenum began on Monday and runs through Thursday, gathering approximately 300 senior Party members for a closed-door session. State media indicated the meeting would focus on tightening discipline within the Party. The gathering takes place one year before the next Party Congress, an event where leadership appointments are finalized.

The urgency of the session stems from a recent wave of removals among top officials. The Asia Society Policy Institute estimates that of the 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022, only two remain in their positions. This purge has left the seven-seat Central Military Commission, which directs the armed forces, with just two members: President Xi Jinping and one other general.

Officials view the plenum as a critical mechanism for ensuring loyalty ahead of the broader Congress. A readout from the 21-member Politburo released in September stated the plenum would adopt decisions on comprehensive strict governance. Experts interpret this language as a signal to enforce obedience among distant Party officials. The meeting is expected to produce a summary of decisions and a detailed document that will be made public after the session concludes.

The plenum provides Xi with the authority to appoint new officers to the Central Military Commission. This move would restore the full strength of the body currently stripped of most of its leadership. The appointment process remains secret, but the outcome will define the military hierarchy for the coming term.

The location of the meeting has not been announced, though past plenums have been held at Beijing's Jingxi Hotel. Delegates are attending with empty seats visible in the room, a physical reminder of the senior figures removed for alleged corruption or moral failings. The session concludes on Thursday, after which the formal decisions will be released.

The next step is the adoption of the final document at the close of the four-day session. This document will outline the strategy for the Party's discipline and set the stage for the leadership vote at the upcoming Congress.