Ahead of next year's party congress, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure a fourth term as party general secretary, the Chinese Communist Party opened its 5th Plenary Session on October 26 (local time) to discuss ways to strengthen "comprehensive and strict governance over the party."

The Chinese Communist Party is holding the 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee (20th Central Committee's 5th Plenary Session) in Beijing for four days from October 26 to 29.

The CCP typically discusses the next five-year plan for economic and social development during the 5th Plenary Session, but the basic direction of the 15th Five-Year Plan had already been finalized at the 4th Plenary Session last year.

As a result, this meeting is expected to focus more on tightening party discipline and controlling officials rather than economic policy.

During a meeting on September 21 to finalize the schedule for the plenum, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee stated that the plenum would deliberate on a draft document titled "Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Several Major Issues for the Sustained Advancement of Comprehensive and Strict Governance Over the Party."

In a speech on October 22 at a gathering marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, President Xi stated, "To successfully walk the path of the new Long March, we must steadfastly uphold the leadership of the party, strengthen party-building, and unremittingly advance comprehensive and strict governance over the party."

When "comprehensive and strict governance over the party" was first unveiled as an agenda item for the plenum, Greater China media outlet Lianhe Zaobao observed that while some anticipated the focus would be on anti-corruption, the actual scope could be broader.

It further reported that the CCP is seeking to comprehensively tighten supervision and constraints on the performance of officials' duties, with a high likelihood of refining evaluation mechanisms.

Lianhe Zaobao also cited expert views noting that President Xi's speech regarding the Long March "borrowed historical narrative to lay the groundwork for the 5th Plenary Session."

Projections also suggest that additional personnel measures targeting high-ranking figures who fell due to corruption allegations or the military, which has undergone intense anti-corruption probes, may be announced through this plenum.

Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP) noted that "the 5th Plenary Session is expected to formalize one of the most extensive high-level personnel turnovers in modern Chinese political history."

According to SCMP's calculations, about 20 of the 205 full members of the Central Committee and around 7 of the 171 alternate members are under investigation for corruption and awaiting expulsion from the Central Committee.

It also interpreted that because roughly 35 full and alternate members who were absent during the 4th Plenary Session last year remain unseen recently, their political standing may also be in jeopardy.

The U.S. think tank Asia Society projected that 291 out of the 376 full and alternate members would attend this plenum, bringing the attendance rate below 80% at 77%, marking a record low.

It analyzed that 44 full members and 41 alternate members are expected to be absent.

The previous record low was set at the 4th Plenary Session last year, where 315 members attended, yielding an attendance rate of 83.8%.

SCMP also noted that preparations to decide hundreds of key positions ahead of next year's party congress are expected to take place during this plenum, drawing attention to potential changes in the composition of China's leadership, including the rise of the "Qilinghou" (post-1970 generation).

The CCP has traditionally used around age 65 as a conventional benchmark for replacing members of the Central Committee at party congresses.

Applying this benchmark, about two-thirds of the current Central Committee could be subject to replacement at next year's party congress.

Consequently, projections suggest that the proportion of officials from the so-called "seventh generation" (born in the late 1960s to 1970s), who currently account for only about 8% of the central leadership, could increase significantly.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)