Pekingology Decoding China's Two Sessions: Politics, Purges, and a New Five Year Plan
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Mar 19, 2026 Neil Thomas, a scholar of Chinese elite politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute, breaks down the Two Sessions. He discusses elite purges and military shakeups. He explains the new 15th Five-Year Plan and its tech and AI priorities. He unpacks leadership rotations, Li Qiang’s rising role, and what signals mean for China’s political trajectory.
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Western Australia Shaped A China Specialist
- Neil Thomas grew up in Western Australia where iron ore exports tied his region to China's construction boom.
- He studied in Hangzhou and Beijing on scholarships, which led him into Chinese politics research.
Absences Reveal Purges Not Futures
- Absences and delegation size at the Two Sessions signal purge activity but rarely reveal next targets.
- Neil Thomas notes Ma Xingrui's absence and the PLA delegation shrinking from 281 to 243, with most missing members under investigation.
Senior PLA Purge Signals Serious Military Overhaul
- Zhang Youxia's purge is the most senior military removal in decades and underscores Xi's push to remake the PLA.
- Neil Thomas says charges like 'trampling on the chairman responsibility system' mix corruption and political offenses, making motives ambiguous.