KATHMANDU: China’s ruling Communist Party (CPC) officials took measures to tighten discipline within their ranks at a crucial meeting in Beijing on Thursday, according to national media.

The Fifth Plenum (Conference) of the Central Committee, led by President Xi Jinping, has decided “how to fully strengthen the party’s discipline”. It also mentioned controlling corruption among cadres, Xinhua news agency reported.

There are no details on what those measures are. The party’s Central Committee has about 300 officials. In the past, the conferences have been important moments for Xi to consolidate his authority, and this year it has continued.

“The gathering appears to be being used as a preparatory measure to secure another term for party chairman Xi at next year’s 21st (Communist Party) Congress,” Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute, told AFP. ”

Despite the speculation, the official statement did not describe Xi as a “people’s leader”. The designation signaled that his political standing would be further elevated. The Chinese leader has waged an anti-corruption campaign for 14 years, which has led to the removal of thousands of officials, including dozens of Central Committee members. He is still dissatisfied with cadres who do not implement his orders.

The plenum “has put in place strong measures to prevent the disorder that has led to the weak, superficial and ineffective Party rule”, the statement said, adding that the party “has put an end to some of the unhealthy tendencies that have long been out of control and removed serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state and the armed forces”.

Due to his extensive plenum, this year’s plenum is said to have the lowest attendance since the death of former leader Mao Zedong in 1976. Before the meeting, eight seats of the Central Committee were vacant.

Some of the vacant positions have been filled after the proceedings at the meeting, which began on Monday.

Chang Seungmin, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of the anti-corruption bureau, has been promoted to the Political Bureau. It is the highest decision-making body in the country. With his promotion, the number of members of the political bureau has reached 22. The fact that many vacant posts of the CMC and the Central Committee are not filled indicates that Xi is now more careful about who to promote,” Tsang said.

Xi’s anti-corruption campaign has also targeted the military structure. It has removed five of the seven members of the CMC, the party’s highest armed forces. In August, China removed then-Supreme Gen. Chang Youoxia from office after a months-long corruption investigation. After his dismissal, only Xi and Chang Shengmin remained on the CMC, which should have had seven representatives. The plenum comes ahead of next year’s major party congress. The meeting is almost certain to secure a historic fourth term for Xi, 73, but other leadership changes are likely.