Xi opens key party plenum on governance
HKFP · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese leaders gathered in Beijing on Monday for the Communist Party’s fifth plenum, a closed-door meeting closely watched for signals on policy direction and future leadership. Around 300 members of the party’s Central Committee are attending the session, which state media said will focus on strengthening discipline and advancing “full and rigorous Party self-governance.” The meeting runs until Thursday and comes before a major party congress next year, when Xi, now 73, is widely expected to secure a fourth term and oversee a leadership reshuffle. State media also highlighted Xi’s criticism of “two-faced” officials who outwardly obey directives while resisting them internally.
Key Points
- Xi opened the fifth plenum in Beijing on Monday and presented a draft Central Committee decision on strengthening full and rigorous party self-governance
- Roughly 300 Central Committee members are attending the tightly secured, closed-door meeting, which is due to conclude on Thursday.
- State media said the plenum will seek tighter internal discipline, including anti-corruption measures and efforts to make cadres more effective and loyal
- Ahead of the meeting, state media cited Xi’s January speech attacking “two-faced” officials, “individualism” and politically opportunistic behaviour within party ranks.
- Eight Central Committee seats are vacant and 15 more members are under investigation, while Xi’s military purge has toppled five of seven Central Military Commission members.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the plenum offers an early indication of how Beijing may further emphasise discipline, loyalty and central control before next year’s party congress. Any tightening of party governance or leadership reshuffle could shape the policy environment that affects Hong Kong’s political and administrative landscape