Xi Jinping Tightens Loyalty Screen as CCP Prepares for Its 21St National Congress: Insiders

Security stand at the entrance before the closing session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on March 11, 2026. Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesAs the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) begins preparations for its 21st National Congress next year, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is intensifying efforts to reshape the Party’s senior ranks, with political loyalty emerging as the dominant criterion for promotion and retention, according to insiders.Several insiders from within the regime told The Epoch Times that the CCP has recently used the Party’s organizational apparatus, internal disciplinary mechanisms, and military anti-corruption system to screen senior officials across the Party, government, and military. The effort, they said, is aimed not only at removing officials accused of misconduct but also at sidelining those suspected of insufficient loyalty to Xi, even when no clear evidence of wrongdoing exists. They spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.