China’s top leadership has made party governance the focus of a coming key conclave, signalling the significance of a clean record in the selection process ahead of next year’s national congress. The meeting is likely to be the party’s most important gathering ahead of its 21st national congress in autumn 2027, where key leadership reshuffles and the endorsement of a fourth term for Xi Jinping are likely to take centre stage. According to Xinhua, the October plenum will focus on “consistently exercising full and rigorous governance over the party”. For Beijing, the expression usually means three things: fighting corruption, tightening party discipline and shoring up political loyalty. More than 370 full and alternate members of the Central Committee – the party’s top political and executive body – will take part in the fifth plenum.