China promotes Gen. Zhang Shengmin to top party body amid low attendance

Chinese leaders promoted General Zhang Shengmin to the Politburo on Thursday.

The four-day closed-door meeting concluded with the elevation of the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. Zhang is the only remaining general on that commission. This change restores military representation to the top governing body of the Communist Party. The party also adopted a resolution to strengthen self-governance and anti-corruption efforts.

The leadership shift follows the removal of two other top generals by President Xi Jinping. Those purges had left the Politburo without any representatives from the People's Liberation Army. Zhang also serves as deputy secretary of the CMC Commission for Discipline Inspection, a role overseeing internal military conduct. The new resolution calls for rooting out corruption and maintaining ideological purity.

The party stated that its tasks are increasingly arduous. This includes uniting the people to safeguard national sovereignty and security. The resolution emphasizes maintaining close ties with the public. It also focuses on enhancing long-term governance capacity and preserving the party's progressive nature.

Party members reviewed the recent personnel changes during the plenum. They confirmed the removal of earlier top officials and military figures. The session took place about a year before Xi Jinping is expected to secure a fourth five-year term as leader. The meeting guides the party's direction for the coming years.

Neil Thomas, a senior fellow at Asia Policy, calculated an attendance rate of 74 percent for the plenum. This figure marks the lowest attendance since the era of former leader Mao Zedong. The lower turnout suggests wider-than-expected purges among the membership. Xi has led an anti-corruption crackdown for more than a decade since coming to power in 2012. Analysts note the focus now extends to underperforming officials.

The resolution was summarized by the official Xinhua News Agency. It details the party's commitment to self-governance and internal discipline. The leadership used the meeting to consolidate control ahead of the upcoming leadership term.