The 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party concluded on October 23, releasing intense internal power struggles. The meeting’s communique revealed that 7 central alternate committee members were skipped over during the replacement of central committee members, indicating their loss of influence. Among them are Xi Jinping’s military secretary and individuals from Xi Jinping’s hometown in Fuping, Shaanxi.
The official communique of the 4th Plenary Session was issued by Xinhua News Agency around 5 p.m. on the 23rd, confirming the expulsion of 14 members from the Central Committee, including 10 central committee members like He Weidong, Miao Hua, Tang Renjian, Jin Xiangjun, He Hongjun, Wang Xiubin, Lin Xiangyang, Qin Shutong, Yuan Huazhi, Wang Chunning, and 4 alternate committee members Li Shisong, Yang Fasen, Zhu Zhisong, Zhang Fengzhong.
The meeting appointed 11 new central committee members, including Yu Huiwen, Ma Hancheng, Wang Jian, Wang Xi, Wang Yonghong, Wang Tingkai, Wang Xinwei, Wei Tao, Deng Yiwu, Deng Xiuming, and Lu Hong.
Comparing the list of alternate central committee members from the 20th Central Committee, 7 individuals were skipped over for replacement, including Deputy Commander of the Rocket Force Wang Liyan, Commander of the Logistic Support Department of the Joint Staff Wang Kangping, Deputy Minister of Education Wang Jiayi, Lieutenant General Fang Yongxiang, Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and Xi’an Municipal Party Committee Fang Hongwei, Deputy Party Secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Shi Yugang, and Lieutenant General Shi Zhenglu, Commander of the Northern Theater Command of the Army.
Under the backdrop of intense internal strife within the Chinese Communist Party’s military, the backgrounds of the skipped-over officers have drawn attention.
Wang Liyan, born in 1962, came from the Second Artillery Corps, serving as the Vice Minister of the Second Artillery Corps and the Dean of the Officer Vocational and Technical Education College of the Second Artillery Corps. He held various positions such as Deputy Chief Engineer of the 54th Base of the Second Artillery Corps and Deputy Chief of Staff of the South China Sea Fleet before being promoted to Deputy Commander of the Rocket Force in August 2021. Wang Kangping, born in 1965, a native of Yiyang, Hunan, held the rank of Air Force Major General, serving as the Commander of the Aviation Division of the Air Force’s 42nd Division and various other commanding positions before becoming the Commander of the Logistic Support Department.
Wang Jiayi, born in December 1965, from Qingtongxia, Ningxia, started as a teacher and later held positions such as President and Deputy Party Secretary of Northwest Normal University and Director of the Education Department of Gansu Province before becoming the Deputy Minister of Education. Fang Yongxiang, born in 1966 in Xiamen, Fujian, is known to be affiliated with Xi Jinping’s Fujian faction within the army structure. His career included roles in the Nanjing Military Region and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission before becoming a Lieutenant General and serving in various positions in the Southern Theater Command and the Central Military Commission’s office.
The reasons for these 7 individuals being skipped over for promotion to the Central Committee have not been officially announced. However, according to current affairs commentator Li Lin, individuals bypassed during these processes in the Chinese Communist Party often face negative outcomes.