China expels record 33 party members at fifth plenum
China expelled a record 33 officials from the Chinese Communist Party as the fifth plenum wrapped up, the Guardian reported.
China expelled a record 33 officials from the Chinese Communist Party as the fifth plenum wrapped up, the Guardian reported. The fifth plenum, a gathering of top officials that meets roughly once a year, ended with an unprecedented number of empty seats, a visual cue of the scale of the purges under President Xi Jinping. Observers noted that the empty chairs served as a stark symbol of the intensified crackdown on senior cadres. The expulsions mark the highest number of party members removed at a single meeting, highlighting the breadth of the current political sweep.
The Guardian said the unprecedented seat vacancies underscored how far the campaign has reached within the party’s upper ranks.
Why it matters
The expulsions illustrate the scale of Xi Jinping's intensified purges of top officials.
Key details
- Location
- China · Asia
- Reported by
- The Guardian
- First reported
- Key names
- Xi Jinping China, Chinese Communist, Xi Jinping, Communist
- Section
- World
- Figure cited
- A record 33 members were expelled at this week’s fifth plenum, a gathering of top officials that takes place roughly once a year. (The Guardian)
Sources
This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:
Read the full story at The GuardianSpotted an error? Request a correction · How this summary was produced
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