(MENAFN- Live Mint) Chairman Xi Jinping's tightening grip on power was on full display at the Chinese Communist Party's Fourth Plenary Session, where strikingly low attendance and a record number of disciplinary actions underscored intensifying purges and unease within China's elite political and military circles.

The Fourth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee, held in Beijing on 20 October, revealed that only 168 of 205 Central Committee members (82%) and 147 of 171 alternates (86%) were present - the lowest turnout since Xi assumed power. Nearly one-sixth of the committee's 376 officials were missing, many believed to have been sidelined or purged under Xi's sweeping“anti-corruption” campaign.

Why was attendance so low at the Fourth Plenum?

Analysts say the absences point to an ongoing internal purge. The Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis noted that just 315 members attended this year's plenum - down sharply from 364 last year and a record low since the late 1970s.

The sharp decline reflects how ruthless and far-reaching Xi's internal crackdown has become.

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“Xi is purging senior officials at a faster clip this term because he's firmly in control of elite politics and free to push his vision of the party as a self-regulating institution,” said Neil Thomas, Fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

Thomas added that Xi“appears unconcerned about the reputational cost of removing officials he once promoted. In any case, after more than a decade in charge, nearly every senior cadre has been promoted at some point on his watch.”

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Notably, less than half of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) representatives were present - an unprecedented absence that signals deep turmoil within China's military establishment.

How severe was the disciplinary crackdown?

This year's plenum saw a near-record level of disciplinary measures, with ten Central Committee members and four alternates publicly expelled - the highest figure since 2017.

Among the most notable names was Major General Zhang Fengzhong, Director of the Political Work Department at the PLA Rocket Force (PLARF), marking the tenth senior PLARF leader to fall under investigation. The Rocket Force, responsible for China's nuclear and missile arsenal, has been almost completely purged in the past year.

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“This suggests the massive corruption or political targeting of the force is ongoing and could hit more targets,” Thomas observed.

Expelled figures include senior military officials such as He Weidong, former CMC vice-chairman; Miao Hua, He Hongjun, Wang Xiubin, Lin Xiangyang, and Wang Houbin, among others - a clear signal that Xi is cleansing the top echelons of the military to consolidate loyalty.

Who has risen amid the purge?

The plenum promoted General Zhang Shengmin to become the second-ranked vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) - the body overseeing China's armed forces. Zhang, previously the head of the CMC's Commission for Discipline Inspection, now assumes the role vacated by the disgraced He Weidong.

The move places China's most powerful disciplinary enforcer directly beneath Xi in the military hierarchy - a telling sign of where the President's priorities lie.

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Zhang's rise cements a CMC structure now composed of Xi Jinping as Chairman, two vice-chairmen (Zhang Youxia and Zhang Shengmin), and one other member (Liu Zhenli). Observers say Xi is likely to delay further appointments until the 21st Party Congress in 2027.

How big is Xi's purge compared to the past?

In sheer scope, Xi's campaign outpaces anything since the Mao era. Last year alone, the CCP disciplined 889,000 officials - a 46% increase from two years prior and the highest since public reporting began two decades ago.

Only four times since 1949 have ten or more alternate members been promoted to full membership in a single plenum - a level not seen since the Cultural Revolution.

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The eleven newly promoted members this year include Yu Huiwen, Ma Hancheng, Wang Jian, Wang Xi, Wang Yonghong, Wang Tingkai, Wang Xinwei, Wei Tao, Deng Yiwu, Deng Xiuming, and Lu Hong - a lineup reflecting Xi's reshaping of the Party's middle ranks with trusted technocrats and regional loyalists.

Those passed over - particularly from the military, such as Wang Liyan and Fang Yongxiang - may now face investigations.“Civilians may be safe, but the PLA and CMC staff are probably under scrutiny,” Thomas said.

What does this mean for China's future direction?

The official communiqué from the plenum praised Xi's leadership in steering China toward“socialist modernisation by 2035” while warning of“rising uncertainties and unforeseen factors.” The new 15th Five-Year Plan focuses on technological self-reliance, economic resilience, and national security.

The message was unmistakable: the Party must remain united under Xi, and the military must be absolutely loyal.“We must ensure that the party exercises absolute leadership over the people's armed forces,” the communique declared.

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Tellingly, the word“fight” appeared repeatedly in the 5,000-word statement - including Xi's signature call to“dare to fight, and be good at fighting.” Analysts see this as a clear indication that Beijing is preparing for confrontation, particularly over Taiwan.

How does the US view Xi's tightening grip?

When asked by an Australian journalist if China might invade Taiwan, Donald Trump responded optimistically:“China doesn't want to do that. I don't see that at all with President Xi. I think we're going to get along very well as it pertains to Taiwan and others.”

Yet, US officials have struck a far more cautious tone. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned in May,“It should be clear to all that Beijing is concretely and credibly preparing to use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.”

A Chinese party on edge

The Fourth Plenum's absences and expulsions underscore a fundamental reality: Xi Jinping's rule is absolute - but not unchallenged. The scale of the purges and the visible anxiety within the Party hierarchy reveal a leadership both consolidating power and haunted by dissent.

As China's most secretive political theatre ends, one thing is certain - the stage is being cleared for Xi's next act, and no one in Beijing's corridors of power can feel entirely safe.

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