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China's Communist Party elite convene four-day plenum on party discipline

Roughly 300 Central Committee members are attending a four-day meeting on a draft decision on party self-governance.

Updated Oct 26, 2026 · 10:14 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • China's Communist Party leaders began a four-day Central Committee plenum on Monday, with roughly 300 members attending.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]
  • The meeting will discuss a draft decision on advancing 'full and rigorous party self-governance,' according to Xinhua.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]
  • Researchers at the Asia Society Policy Institute say 42 of 44 military-affiliated 2022 committee members have been purged or disappeared.[Associated Press]
  • Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure a fourth term in fall 2027, but that outcome has not yet occurred.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]

Key facts

  • About 300 Central Committee members are attending the four-day meeting.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
  • The fifth plenum began on Monday as a four-day closed-door meeting.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]
  • The committee will discuss a draft policy decision on advancing full and rigorous party self-governance, according to Xinhua.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]
  • Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure a fourth five-year term as party leader in fall 2027.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]
  • Asia Society Policy Institute researchers say 42 of 44 military-affiliated officials elected as full Central Committee members in 2022 have been purged or disappeared.[Associated Press]
  • BBC reports the Central Military Commission has been reduced to two people, Xi Jinping and one other general.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The 42-of-44 purge figure comes from outside researchers and is not an official tally.[Associated Press]
  • Xi's fourth term is an expectation, not a confirmed outcome; confirmation is expected at the 2027 party congress.[Al Jazeera · Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.