China’s Communist Party opens plenum on stricter internal governance

Xi Jinping presented a draft decision on “full and rigorous Party self-governance” to the Central Committee, according to state news agency Xinhua. The Politburo agreed in September to submit the proposal for discussion. The meeting is scheduled to run from 26 to 29 October, but the measures the committee may adopt have not yet been announced.

The fifth plenum brings together senior figures from the party’s Central Committee. It is taking place behind closed doors, and the BBC says a summary of decisions and a more detailed document are expected after it ends.

The meeting follows Xi’s long-running anti-corruption campaign, which Reuters says has led to the removal of hundreds of senior officials and top generals. The party portrays the campaign as necessary to tackle corruption. Critics cited by Reuters argue that purges in the armed forces could damage combat readiness.

The BBC describes the plenum as an opportunity for Xi to strengthen his hold on power before next year’s party congress. For now, the established development is narrower: he has presented a draft for the committee to consider, not a final decision.