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‘Pull Out the Sick Trees’: Xi’s Constant Purges Pave Way for Next Term

26 October 2026 at 07:00
The Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who is likely preparing to secure a fourth term in power in 2027, has complained that officials cannot be trusted.

© Ng Han Guan/Associated Press

President Xi Jinping of China is expected to secure a fourth term as leader of the ruling Communist Party next year. He has warned that too many officials fail to faithfully carry out his orders.

Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders

The fifth plenum comes against a backdrop of years of purges that have had some analysts wondering if the issue is corruption or a lack of loyalty

When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he pledged to stamp out corruption all through the ranks of the Communist party. More than a decade later, the pace of investigations has not slowed. Last year, China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.

As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials kick off an important meeting this week, discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda. For those who try to read the tea leaves of elite Chinese politics, concern about the apparent lack of discipline is dominating CCP discussions.

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© Photograph: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

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