China dismisses 33 members in record purge amid emphasis on party discipline

At the Communist Party's 20th Central Committee's fifth plenum in Beijing, the promotion of 10 officials to full membership of the Central Committee signaled a notable shift in China's political landscape. The event, which centered on party discipline and corruption, saw a notable reduction in attendance, with only 79 percent of full members and 147 alternate members present. This marked a significant drop from previous years, where 117 alternate members typically attended.

A departure from tradition was evident as five alternate members were passed over for promotion, rather than being filled according to the established order. The 10 individuals promoted included prominent regional administrators, such as Shanxi Governor Lu Dongliang and Zhejiang Governor Liu Jie. Notable individuals who were passed over for promotion included Cong Liang, director of the State Council's Development Research Centre, and two lieutenant generals from the paramilitary People's Armed Police, Fu Wenhua and Zhu Wenxiang.

The decision to pass over these individuals for promotion has become increasingly common in recent years, with previous instances including Wang Yongkang in 2022 and Wang Jiayi last year. While some of those passed over have been moved to ceremonial roles, others have faced more serious consequences. Fang Yongxiang, who was overlooked last year, was formally expelled from the party, while former Xian party secretary Fang Hongwei was placed under investigation shortly after being passed over.

The reasons for these departures remain unclear, as state broadcaster CCTV did not provide explanations for the omission of certain officials from the promotion list.