China's Communist Party Adopts Resolution to Strengthen Governance and Discipline

The Communist Party of China (CPC) recently concluded its fifth plenary session, which took place in Beijing from October 26 to 29, 2026. The session saw the participation of 162 full members and 117 alternate members of the Central Committee, along with officials from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, experts, scholars, and delegates from the 20th National Congress. The party leadership emphasized the importance of strict governance and discipline within the party.

The fifth plenary session adopted a historic resolution that outlines the party's commitment to comprehensive and rigorous self-governance. The resolution, which was presented by General Secretary Xi Jinping, emphasizes the need for the party to maintain its authority and ideological cohesion. The party leadership also announced a significant purge at the top levels of the state, finance, and military, signaling a major shift in its governance approach.

The session reviewed and adopted the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Major Issues Concerning the Continuous and Unwavering Self-Governance of the Party with Rigor." This document highlights the importance of discipline and self-revolution within the party. Xi Jinping presented the report on the work of the Political Bureau and emphasized that the party's governance is crucial to ensuring its long-term survival and success.

The plenary session also examined the party's progress over the past decade, since the 18th National Congress. According to the official communiqué, this period has seen significant improvements in the party's governance, with a reversal of a historical trend of decline and the elimination of latent dangers within the party and the state. However, the party leadership acknowledged that the fight against corruption and other challenges is far from over.

The Communist Party of China has formalized a new approach to governance, which combines external supervision by the people with internal self-revolution. This approach is encapsulated in Xi Jinping's "thought on party building," which is seen as a major contribution to Marxist-Leninist doctrine in the 21st century. The party has outlined a comprehensive framework for action, which includes eight key areas of focus.

The party's new approach to governance includes a renewed emphasis on political leadership, with a focus on strengthening democratic centralism and ensuring that the party's leadership is centralized and unified. The party is also strengthening its cadre system, with a focus on selecting and promoting loyal and competent leaders. Additionally, the party is expanding its organizational presence in strategic and emerging sectors.

The fifth plenum also set the country's socio-economic roadmap and institutional calendar, with a focus on implementing the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans. The party leadership expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far and called on the state apparatus to complete its tasks for the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027.

Key points

• The Communist Party of China has adopted a resolution to strengthen governance and discipline within the party.