China expels 33 party members, lifts Gen. Zhang to Politburo
What's new: The purge drove Central Committee attendance below 300 for the first time under Xi Jinping.
China's ruling Communist Party ended a four-day plenum in Beijing by tightening internal discipline, expelling 33 members and promoting Gen. Zhang Shengmin to the Politburo. State media said the meeting adopted a decision on stricter party self-governance and anti-corruption ahead of next year's party congress, where Xi Jinping is widely expected to secure a fourth term. The military was hit especially hard: 16 of those removed were from the armed forces, and Zhang is now the only member of the Central Military Commission besides Xi after earlier purges of top generals. BBC reported 279 Central Committee members attended, a record low under Xi and the first time attendance fell below 300.