The elevation restores military representation alongside Xi on the body, tapping an official who already oversees discipline within the Central Military Commission. Beyond promoting Zhang, party leaders reviewed past purges and adopted a resolution to root out corruption and target underperforming cadres. The gathering underscored significant internal instability, with attendance dropping to historic lows as purges sweep through the political and defense establishments.
Key points
Gen. Zhang Shengmin's promotion restores critical military leadership to the Politburo fo…: Gen. Zhang Shengmin's promotion restores critical military leadership to the Politburo following the purge of two other top generals.
The party is broadening its long-standing anti-corruption campaign to discipline underper…: The party is broadening its long-standing anti-corruption campaign to discipline underperforming officials alongside corrupt figures.
Abnormally low plenum attendance highlights the broad scale of ongoing purges ahead of Xi…: Abnormally low plenum attendance highlights the broad scale of ongoing purges ahead of Xi Jinping's expected fourth term.
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BANGKOK — China's top leaders on Thursday elevated the only remaining general on the commission that oversees the country's military to the Politburo, the top governing body of the Communist Party.
The leaders also adopted a resolution on strengthening self-governance, discipline and anti-corruption in the party, as they seek to extend their grip on power.
During a four-day closed-door meeting, top Communist Party leaders deliberated on and adopted resolutions that will guide the party in the coming years. The meeting comes about a year before President Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure his fourth five-year term as the party's leader.
The party elected Gen. Zhang Shengmin, who currently serves as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, to the Politburo. Xi had earlier purged two of China's top generals, leaving Zhang as the commission's only member besides Xi himself. It also left the Politburo without any representatives from the People's Liberation Army.
Zhang also holds a position overseeing internal discipline for the military, serving as deputy secretary of the CMC Commission for Discipline Inspection.
The ongoing shutdown relies on domestic legislation passed to penalize foreign broadcasters deemed by authorities to threaten national security. Media representatives have forcefully rejected the official rationale, warning that targeting the network sets a dangerous precedent that breaches international law. This prolongation ensures the Qatar-based channel remains barred from conducting journalistic work and operating bureau facilities on the ground.
Coalition strategists are floating power-sharing proposals to fracture the rival bloc following the October 27 election. The initiative seeks to stabilize the incoming administration by addressing contentious military draft legislation while retaining existing far-right partners. However, internal resistance remains steep as rival leaders urge against legitimizing a partnership that contradicts past campaign promises.
Investigators point to a severe breakdown in communication at Madrid's Atocha control centre after a widespread system malfunction halted regional traffic. Traffic controllers failed to enforce mandatory speed restrictions and neglected to alert a trailing train about a stationary service directly ahead. This disaster represents the nation's second deadly high-speed rail collision this year, raising critical concerns over operational safety management.