China's Communist Party seeks to tighten discipline

Audio By Vocalize

Top Chinese Communist Party officials moved to tighten internal discipline during a key meeting that concluded on Thursday, with analysts saying the measures appeared aimed at paving the way for President Xi Jinping to extend his rule.

The fifth plenum of the Central Committee, led by Xi, adopted a decision on "advancing full and rigorous governance of the party", which includes reducing corruption among cadres, state news agency Xinhua said, without providing details on what those measures would entail.

Roughly 300 officials make up the Central Committee, whose plenums have previously represented key moments for Xi to cement his authority, with this year's gathering in Beijing being no different.

"The Plenum seems to be used (to) prepare for Xi to secure another term at the 21st (Communist Party) Congress next year," Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute, told AFP.

"Tightening control, particularly in personnel matters, is an essential preparatory step for Xi to make sure his extension will go completely smoothly."

Despite speculation, Xi was not, however, described in the readout as the "People's Leader", a designation that would have signalled a further elevation of his political stature.

The Chinese leader has waged a 14-year campaign against corruption that has ousted thousands of officials, including dozens of Central Committee members.

Yet he remains frustrated with cadres he deems are not implementing his orders.

The plenum acknowledged that "party governance had been lax, superficial and ineffective".

By "turning the knife inwards and applying strict measures to curb disorder", the party had "put a stop to certain unhealthy trends that had long gone unchecked... and eliminated serious hidden dangers within the party, the state and the armed forces", it said.

As a result of his expansive purges, this year's plenum had the lowest turnout since former leader Mao Zedong's death in 1976, with eight Central Committee seats vacant prior to the meeting.

Ups and downs 

However, some positions were filled during the proceedings, which began on Monday.

Anti-corruption chief Zhang Shengmin, who serves as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was promoted to the Politburo, the country's top decision-making body.

With his promotion, the Politburo stands at 22 members.

The fact that many vacancies on the CMC and Central Committee had not been filled "seems to suggest that Xi is more careful with who he wants to elevate at this point", Tsang said.

Xi's anti-corruption drive has also targeted the military, toppling five of the seven members of the CMC, the party's top armed-forces body.

In August, China ousted Zhang Youxia, then the highest-ranking general, from his position following a months-long graft investigation.

His removal left the CMC, which is supposed to have seven representatives, with only two: Xi and Zhang Shengmin

The plenum came ahead of a major party congress next year, where 73-year-old Xi is almost certain to secure a historic fourth term and oversee a leadership reshuffle.

Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian from the National University of Singapore said the emphasis on party discipline suggests that Xi "continues to see maintaining and tightening control as a priority".

"That probably lowers the opportunities for party renewal and eventual leadership transition in the short to medium term," Chong told AFP.