The Sixth Plenary Session Raises Concerns: Has the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Encountered Major Issues? 

File photo: On March 5, 2021, the day before the opening of China‘s National People‘s Congress (NPC), police patrol Tiananmen Square with dogs on a day of heavy air pollution in Beijing. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images.)

[People News] On August 22, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China unexpectedly convened its Sixth Plenary Session, breaking the usual practice of holding such sessions every January. The Politburo did not provide any advance notice of this meeting, and notably, members of the Politburo Standing Committee were absent. The communiqué issued after the meeting was unusually brief, indicating that there were likely many sensitive topics that could not be disclosed, yet it could not hide significant personnel changes. This CCDI plenary session, occurring before the Fifth Plenary Session of the Communist Party, is indeed peculiar; while the Party continues to assert 'strict governance of the Party,' the CCDI itself appears to be facing serious issues, further diminishing Xi's 'central' authority. 

Questionable Timing of the Meeting 

The CCDI of the 20th Central Committee was formed during the 20th National Congress in October 2022, where the first meeting established the CCDI Standing Committee. The second plenary session took place in January 2023, and subsequent plenary sessions have been held annually in January, with the fifth session scheduled for January 2026. Typically, the Sixth Plenary Session of the CCDI would be expected in January 2027. If the Communist Party is preparing for the 21st National Congress in the fall of 2027, the last CCDI plenary session should logically occur before this Congress. 

However, on August 22, the CCDI broke with tradition and convened the Sixth Plenary Session without any prior warning or explanation. 

At the end of the year, Politburo meetings usually discuss the CCDI's work in advance and set the date for the following January's plenary session. However, the report from the Politburo meeting on July 30, 2026, only confirmed the Fifth Plenary Session to be held in October and discussed economic matters, without any mention of the CCDI plenary session scheduled for August.

The unexpected meeting of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) may have been decided during the vacation period of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership in Beidaihe, unless it was confirmed at the Politburo meeting on July 30. It is likely that several new developments occurred during the Beidaihe vacation, which the CCP is reluctant to disclose to the outside world, prompting the hurried organization of an impromptu CCDI meeting.

Absence of Politburo Standing Committee Members

The meetings of the CCDI following the 20th CCP Congress, except for the first plenary session, have seen full participation from the Politburo Standing Committee members in the second, third, fourth, and fifth plenary sessions held annually in January, with Xi Jinping even delivering special addresses. However, at the CCDI meeting convened unexpectedly on August 22, only CCDI Secretary Li Xi was present, while the other six members of the Politburo Standing Committee were absent, and Xi Jinping did not deliver a speech.

Following the Beidaihe vacation in August, the Politburo Standing Committee members made two collective appearances. On August 17, the CCP held a commemorative event for the infamous former party leader Jiang Zemin, attended by current Politburo Standing Committee members, some Politburo members, and retired Politburo Standing Committee members. On August 18, the current Politburo Standing Committee members again appeared collectively at the farewell ceremony for Zhu Rongji's remains.

However, at the CCDI meeting on August 22, the other six members of the Politburo Standing Committee were notably absent. The significance of the CCDI meeting should outweigh the commemorations for Jiang Zemin and the funeral of Zhu Rongji, yet the Politburo Standing Committee members did not attend. This absence is likely not merely due to a last-minute arrangement for the meeting, but may indicate other underlying issues.

Is there a significant problem within the CCDI?

The unexpected convening of the sixth plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) has captured considerable attention, particularly regarding personnel changes within the CCDI. Notably, two new deputy secretaries, Zhao Shiyong and Zhang Zhongsheng, have been appointed, while former deputy secretaries Xiao Pei and Fu Kui were conspicuously absent from the podium, sitting in the audience instead. Additionally, Zhang Shengmin, deputy secretary of the CCDI and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, was also missing.

On July 30, the Politburo of the Communist Party of China held a meeting to confirm that the Fifth Plenary Session would be held in October, with a focus on the theme of 

Li Xi continues to stress Xi Jinping's 'Party Building Thought' along with the 'Two Establishes' and 'Two Safeguards', seemingly attempting to align himself closely with Xi Jinping. However, other members of the Politburo Standing Committee may have differing opinions. If the Fifth Plenary Session addresses the 'prominent issues' related to 'Party Building', the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) could face accountability, making it challenging for Xi Jinping to distance himself, while other Politburo Standing Committee members might be anxious to avoid any association.

What is the CCDI's plenary session communiqué trying to conceal?

On August 22, Xinhua News Agency published an unusually concise communiqué from the sixth plenary session of the CCDI, which consists of only five paragraphs.

The first paragraph includes two sentences that introduce the date, location, and number of attendees at the meeting, but it omits the customary mention of non-voting attendees. In contrast, the fifth plenary session of the CCDI, held on January 12, 2026, noted 265 non-voting attendees, while the sixth plenary session communiqué simply leaves this detail out.

The second paragraph contains two sentences stating that the meeting was chaired by the CCDI Standing Committee, with Secretary Li Xi delivering a speech. However, it does not mention the participation of other Politburo Standing Committee members.

The third paragraph primarily emphasizes Xi Jinping's 'Party Building Thought'.

The fourth paragraph vaguely states that the plenary session summarized the work from the first half of 2026 and outlined requirements for the next phase, but it lacks specific details and reiterates some clichés.

The fifth paragraph consists of a single sentence announcing the appointments of Zhao Shiyong and Zhang Zhong as deputy secretaries of the CCDI, but it does not mention any dismissals.

The full text of the sixth plenary session communiqué is 758 words long, marking a significant reduction compared to previous sessions. The communiqué from the fifth plenary session of the 20th CCDI in January 2026 was 3,926 words; the fourth plenary session communiqué was 4,139 words; the third plenary session communiqué was 4,089 words; and the second plenary session communiqué was 3,265 words.

The hastily convened sixth plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) produced a communiqué with a disappointingly low word count, likely due to the fact that much of the meeting's content could not be disclosed. Additionally, many topics remain unresolved, including the summary of work for the first half of 2026 and the plans for the next phase of work. Notably, members of the Politburo Standing Committee did not attend the meeting, which raises the possibility of differing opinions on these issues, with unresolved disagreements complicating their inclusion in the communiqué.

Various indicators suggest that the sixth plenary session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was an unusual meeting. This could imply that the principle of 'strict governance of the Party' may be reinterpreted at the upcoming Fifth Plenary Session. While Xi Jinping's 'Party building thought' may not be immediately discarded, he could be held accountable for the 'prominent issues' that 'Party building' is currently facing.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which has been vocal about 'strict governance of the Party', appears to be facing serious challenges, as Xi's authority within the Party has significantly diminished. Additionally, the power struggles related to personnel changes at the top seem to be evolving once again.

--Dajiyuan