The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened on October 20 against a backdrop of heightened tensions within the party hierarchy. While the aim of the meeting is to outline the country’s development plans for the next five years under the 14th Five-Year Plan, the official media’s tone on the first day was marked by a surprising lack of detail, sparking widespread speculation about the current state of the party’s top leadership.
The session, running from October 20 to 23 in Beijing, was hardly reported in the way that major state functions usually are. On the opening day, major state media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency and the People’s Daily, issued brief statements. They emphasized the session’s main goal—drafting the 14th Five-Year Plan—while simultaneously asserting the achievements of the previous five-year period, underlining “high-quality development” and the need for technological self-reliance. Notably, the reports frequently invoked the phrase “the Party Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core.”
By evening, only a concise announcement of roughly 100 words was released, outlining Xi Jinping’s work report at the session. This announcement was devoid of any photographs, speech excerpts, or images from the venue—a stark contrast to previous high-profile meetings, which typically feature comprehensive coverage. In a rare occurrence, state broadcaster CCTV did not highlight the Fourth Plenary Session in its nightly news, merely mentioning that the international community was looking to the conference to bring new stability and confidence to the global economy.
This subdued media response comes in the wake of significant purges within the military, where nine senior generals were recently expelled from the party. The official media’s behavior has contributed to a perception of increased tension within the party’s upper echelons.
On the same day, Xinhua published a lengthy editorial titled “Ensuring Decisive Progress in Basic Realization of Socialist Modernization—On the Occasion of the 20th Party Congress Fourth Plenary Session.” This editorial frequently referenced Xi Jinping, establishing a tone for discussions on the 14th Five-Year Plan. Analysts noted that the piece framed past achievements as solely the result of Xi’s leadership while dismissing any economic issues the country faces. It suggested that future successes hinge on the Communist Party’s central role in economic and social development.
Commentators on social media have expressed skepticism regarding the lack of news coverage and the current political climate, hinting that the ultimate outcomes of the Fourth Plenary Session may be more aligned with a top-down approach to governance, hinting at a shift towards more authoritarian measures.
Rumors have also circulated regarding Xi Jinping potentially stepping down from his position as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, a change that could designate General Zhang Youxia as his successor. These rumors were fueled by the context of the recent military purges and the atmosphere of instability within the party.
Overall, the situation remains tense, as the high-level meeting’s output is awaited with cautious anticipation, while the Party’s ability to maintain stability amidst its internal strife is brought into question. There is a significant interest in how the outcomes of this plenary session will influence China’s political landscape and economic strategy moving forward.