Beijing: A sweeping reshuffle is set to shake up the Chinese Communist Party’s top leadership, with significant changes expected from top to bottom.
The party’s pivotal fourth plenary meeting, scheduled in Beijing from October 20 to 23, will see at least nine Central Committee members replaced, marking the largest shake-up since 2017.
The reasons include the demise of some leaders and ongoing anti-corruption probes targeting others.
The Central Committee, formed in 2022 with 205 full members and 171 alternate members, is the party’s highest body. In July 2024, three members, including former Foreign Minister Qin Gang, were ousted. Corruption scandals also led to the expulsion of Defence Minister Li Shangfu and Rocket Force chief Li Yuchao. This upcoming meeting is poised to usher in further high-profile changes.
Among those facing action is former Agriculture Minister Tang Renjian, convicted of accepting bribes worth 268 million yuan (approximately USD 37.6 million) between 2007 and 2024. His death sentence was deferred for two years. On September 6, China’s anti-corruption agency arrested Yi Huiman, former stock market chief, making him the second senior official probed in a decade. Leaders from Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Shanxi provinces have also been detained, with new appointments like Bao Gang as Inner Mongolia’s leader.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has not been spared, with senior officer Miao Hua suspended and four generals removed. Since Xi Jinping’s rise in 2012, over a million officials have faced stringent anti-corruption measures. The death of Customs chief Yu Jianhua and the quiet removal of generals like He Weidong, Liu Jianchao, and Jin Zhuanglong signal further adjustments ahead.