Personnel changes to watch at key Chinese Communist Party meeting

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A Chinese flag flutters above the national emblem on the Great Hall of the People before the opening session of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China March 5, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

BEIJING - The elite Central Committee of Chinas ruling Communist Party will undergo the highest personnel turnover since 2017 during a key meeting this week, after eight members who were top generals were expelled from the party on graft charges on Friday.

The closed-door meeting, known as the Fourth Plenum, will discuss Beijings forthcoming five-year economic development plan, but will also confirm personnel decisions such as formally removing members already expelled from the party.

At least 11 full members of the Central Committee, out of 300-plus full and alternate members, are likely to be replaced by alternates, according to convention.

This could potentially be the highest turnover at a single meeting since 2017s Seventh Plenum, when a record 11 members were expelled. Over the course of President Xi Jinpings first term, a record 19 members were replaced in total as he launched a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown.

Here are some of the people who are likely to be replaced this week:

MILITARY RESHUFFLE

The eight Peoples Liberation Army generals expelled last week include He Weidong, Chinas number two general, marking Chinas biggest military purge in decades.

An important question looming over the plenum is whether Hes role as second-ranked vice-chair of the Central Military Commission (CMC) will be filled in. The seven-person