China Expels Record 33 CCP Members at Fifth Plenum Amid Xi Jinping’s Intensified Purges

China has expelled a record 33 members from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the fifth plenum, a key annual political gathering, underscoring the scale of President Xi Jinping’s intensified purges of top officials. The unprecedented number of empty seats at the event served as a visible symbol of the expulsions, highlighting the party’s sweeping internal discipline campaign. The plenum, which brings together the party’s elite, saw the removal of members at a level not seen before, reflecting Xi’s consolidation of power and zero tolerance for dissent or corruption. This move matters because it signals a deepening crackdown within the ruling party, potentially reshaping China’s political landscape and governance stability. As Xi continues to centralize authority, the purge sends a stark warning to officials at all levels. The record expulsions may foreshadow further shake-ups ahead of key leadership transitions.