China's big political meeting could see Xi 'tighten discipline' in Party

In the Chinese capital a major political gathering is underway, with a closed-door meeting of senior figures that could shape the look of the ruling Communist Party in the years to come.

The Fifth Plenum brings together around 300 members of the Central Committee and state media said it would pave the way for a "tightening of discipline" within the Party's ranks.

The four-day session that started on Monday will give Xi Jinping an opportunity to further consolidate his grip on power following recent purges.

The normally annual Plenums are highly secretive, but a summary of decisions and a more detailed document will be made public after.

They are essentially closed door meetings of the Party's central committee that happen at least once a year.

There are usually seven plenums during each five-year Central Committee term and they are watched from afar because they are meant to signal the leadership's priorities.

The timing for this year's gathering is important because it is a year away from the next Party Congress, where a new set of priorities is set up and a new central committee appointed.

Officially, the Central Committee selects the Party's top leadership but the real processes leading to the selection are kept secret within the Party elite.

The next Party Congress will almost certainly reappoint Xi as the country's leader, following the abolition of term limits.

Past plenum sessions have been used to declare Xi as "the core" of the Party, abolish term limits which cleared the way for him to remain in power indefinitely, and elevate his personal philosophy – branded as "Xi Jinping Thought" – to the same level as Chairman Mao.

This years plenum is an opportunity for Xi to dictate strategy in the run up to the Congress, ensuring that views are aligned and delegates loyal.

Even the location of the meeting, which will wrap up on Thursday, has not been announced. Past Plenums have been held inside Beijing's Jingxi Hotel.

According to a readout from the powerful 21-member Politburo this September, the plenum will adopt a decision on "several major issues persistently advancing the comprehensive strict governance of the Party", which is being read as a way to further ensure obedience and effectiveness from distant party officials.

This means it would also be a time of nervousness for delegates as they look around the room with its "empty chairs" following the scale of recent purges within the Party.

Allegations of corruption, even "moral corruption", have seen large swathes of senior figures culled.

"Moral corruption" has been seen by experts as a way of cracking down on perceived disloyalty to Xi because overall disloyalty to the Party can be interpreted as a breach of "morality".

The Asia Society Policy Institute has estimated that of 44 military members appointed to the Central Committee in 2022 only two have not been taken down.

The all-powerful seven-man Central Military Commission, which runs the armed forces in China, has also been whittled down to only two people, Xi Jinping and one other general.

This Plenum is an opportunity for him to appoint new officers to this body.

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