Key facts
- China's Beidaihe meeting has concluded, with focus shifting to the upcoming party congress.
- President Xi Jinping is expected to secure a fourth term.
- Top military officials General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli are under investigation for alleged violations.
- General Zhang Shengmin was promoted to deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
- The CMC's ranks have significantly shrunk due to a sweeping anti-corruption purge.
China's annual Beidaihe meeting of Communist Party leaders and retired elders has concluded, with attention now fixed on the upcoming party congress where leadership changes are expected. President Xi Jinping is widely anticipated to secure a fourth term in 2027.
Recent events have intensified scrutiny on Xi's control over the military. Top uniformed officers, including General Zhang Youxia and General Liu Zhenli, are reportedly under investigation for "serious violations of party discipline and law," a phrase often used to denote corruption. One report even suggests Zhang may have leaked nuclear secrets to the United States. This development is seen as the peak of a broad purge within the People's Liberation Army (PLA) that has targeted numerous high-ranking officers over the past few years.
The Central Military Commission (CMC), China's supreme military decision-making body, has seen its ranks significantly reduced. Following a plenum in October, where key figures like Zhang's fellow vice chair and the PLA's top political officer were ousted, the CMC's strength was halved from its 2022 overhaul. The decision to leave seats vacant in the CMC was seen as a signal that the purge was ongoing.
Despite swirling speculation about Xi's grip on power, a recent four-day conclave ending October 23 saw minimal leadership reshuffling, reinforcing Xi's firm control. The only notable personnel change announced was the promotion of General Zhang Shengmin to deputy chairman of the CMC, replacing He Weidong. Zhang, who oversees military disciplinary affairs, is believed to have played a significant role in the extensive purge. The undersized nature of the current CMC, with only four members remaining from an initial seven in 2022, further concentrates power in Xi's hands.
Analysts suggest that Xi's actions, particularly the sweeping military shakeup, indicate an "intensifying impatience" with the PLA's perceived inability to "fight and win wars." This suggests a renewed commitment to his ambition of "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," rather than an immediate move toward conflict. The purges underscore Xi's determination to maintain stability at home, which is underpinned by the PLA's loyalty.