Previous plenary sessions have been used to declare Xi “the core” of the Party, abolish term limits that paved the way for him to remain in power indefinitely, and elevate his personal philosophy – dubbed “Xi Jinping Thought” – to the same level as Chairman Mao. announced. Previous Plenums have been held inside the Jingxi Hotel in Beijing. According to a readout from the powerful 21-member Politburo in September, the plenum will adopt a decision on “several important issues that persistently promote the Party’s strict and comprehensive governance,” which is interpreted as a way to further ensure the obedience and effectiveness of the party’s distant officials. This means it would also be a nervous moment for the delegates as they look around the room with their “empty chairs” following the scale of the recent purges within the Party. Accusations of corruption, even “moral corruption”, have led to the sacrifice of large sections of high-level figures. The Central Military Commission, which runs the armed forces in China, has also been reduced to just two people, Xi Jinping and another general. This Plenary Session is an opportunity for him to appoint new officers for this body.
