Xi Jinping’s anti‑corruption crackdown in focus at China’s fifth plenum
As China’s top leaders gather for the fifth plenum, Xi Jinping’s decade‑long anti‑corruption campaign faces renewed scrutiny, with investigations of senior officials and military leaders dominating the agenda.
At a glance
- Xi Jinping’s anti‑corruption campaign continues with over 1 million investigations last year, including more than 100 high‑level officials.
- The fifth plenum, starting Monday, will focus on “advancing the party’s full and rigorous self‑governance,” a term for discipline and loyalty.
- Recent purges have reduced the Central Military Commission to two members, Xi and Zhang Shengmin, amid investigations of generals like Zhang Youxia.
**Lede**
Xi Jinping’s anti‑corruption crackdown is under the spotlight as more than 300 senior Communist Party officials begin the fifth plenum on Monday. The meeting, which will focus on “major issues on advancing the party’s full and rigorous self‑governance,” is the last substantive gathering before next year’s 21st Party Congress, where Xi is expected to secure a fourth term.
Xi’s anti‑corruption drive When Xi took power in 2012 he vowed to stamp out corruption throughout the party ranks. Over a decade later the pace has not slowed. Last year China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including over 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level. The investigations almost always end in conviction, prompting questions about whether targets are truly guilty or political rivals.
Military and senior leadership purges The current focus comes amid high‑profile probes of senior party and military figures. In January Zhang Youxia, China’s top general and second in military hierarchy, was placed under investigation and later expelled from the party. Other purges have reduced the Central Military Commission, normally seven members, to just two: Xi and Zhang Shengmin, the CMC’s head of discipline. Recent scalps also include Ma Xingrui, former Xinjiang party secretary, and Huang Qifan, former Chongqing mayor.
Analysts’ views Kerry Brown of King’s College London says Xi’s worldview conflates corruption with political disloyalty: “If you’re corrupt, you’re not politically loyal. If you’re politically loyal, you’re not corrupt.” Neil Thomas of the Asia Society notes that Xi treats anti‑corruption as a permanent governing method, tightening discipline because tougher punishment alone cannot stop officials from putting personal interests first.
The plenum is an opportunity to refocus the party on discipline, but some analysts question whether the sweeping purges signal regime instability. Xi, however, sees the investigations as a tool to enforce unity and demonstrate who is in charge.
Source: The Guardian World.
Questions and answers
- What is the fifth plenum and why is it important?
- The fifth plenum, starting Monday, is the fifth of seven gatherings in the five‑year cycle before the CCP congress, focusing on party discipline and anti‑corruption ahead of next year’s 21st Party Congress.
- How many people have been investigated for corruption under Xi’s campaign?
- Last year China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including over 100 officials at or above ministerial level.
- Who are some of the senior officials recently purged?
- Recent scalps include General Zhang Youxia, former Xinjiang party secretary Ma Xingrui, and ex‑Chongqing mayor Huang Qifan, among others.
