A record number of members were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party

A record number of 33 members were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party following its annual meeting, which saw the highest number of empty seats ever. The meeting focused on party discipline rather than economic reforms, with Xi Jinping emphasizing the fight against corruption as a central theme since he took power in 2012. Among those expelled are high-ranking officials, including former Xinjiang party leader Ma Xingrui and two generals, Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli. The specific charges against them remain unclear, but they are widely interpreted as related to corruption. In the first nine months of this year, 680,000 party members faced disciplinary actions. Analysts suggest the increased focus on discipline is linked to the upcoming party congress, where leadership changes are expected, with Xi likely to secure a fourth term.