China’s Communist Party Opens Discipline-Focused Plenum

The Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee began a four-day closed-door meeting on Monday, October 26, focused on party discipline and governance as Xi Jinping seeks stronger compliance from officials ahead of an expected leadership transition in 2027. The fifth plenum is scheduled to run through Thursday. About 300 Central Committee members were expected to attend, according to one report. The meeting’s discussions are largely out of public view, and its policy outcomes have not yet been announced. China’s state news agency Xinhua reported that the committee would discuss a draft decision on advancing full and rigorous party self-governance. The agenda includes implementing central decisions, addressing corruption and improving the performance and reliability of officials. Xinhua has also emphasized translating leadership decisions into action. The meeting comes roughly a year before the party congress in 2027, when Xi is widely expected to seek another five-year term as party leader. That outcome has not been formally determined. Analysts say the plenum offers Xi an opportunity to reinforce political continuity and align officials with the leadership’s priorities,...