China's fifth plenum closes: 21st Party Congress set for H2 2027; Zhang Shengmin joins Politburo.
Xinhua published the communique on 29 October: the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee met in Beijing from 26 to 29 October, attended by 162 full and 117 alternate members. Xi Jinping delivered a work report and explained the draft, and the plenum adopted the Central Committee's decision on major issues in persevering with full and rigorous Party self-governance. It set the 21st Party Congress for the second half of 2027 in Beijing, elected Zhang Shengmin to the Politburo, and elevated 10 alternate members, including Lu Dongliang and Bao Gang, to full membership. The plenum approved investigation reports on 18 people from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, including Ma Xingrui, Lan Tianli, Liu Jianchao, Jin Zhuanglong, Yi Huiman and Li Yunze, and on 16 from the Central Military Commission, including Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, confirming the earlier expulsion of 33 of them from the party and Li Yunze's removal from party posts. Lianhe Zaobao and Sing Tao reported the close the same day; the South China Morning Post reported in September that Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli had been expelled from the party and military after a Politburo meeting.
Read full issue →