China begins key meet, setting stage for Xi’s fourth term

China’s Communist Party began a meeting of sen­ior cadres Monday aimed at tightening discipline and pressing officials to implement Beijing’s orders, paving the way for a leadership reshuffle next year expected to extend President Xi Jinping’s rule for another five years. Xi briefed the party’s Central Committee meeting on a draft document centred on “full and rigorous party self-governance” state news agency Xinhua said addressed the challenges the party faced, including growing its governing capacity, as well as guarding against complacency and combating corruption, the president’s signature campaign.The Central Committee will convene in the closed-door meeting from Monday to Th­ur­sday. Analysts say this could be the last major party gathering before its 2027 leadership reshuffle, when Xi is expected to hold on to the top job for a fourth term.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.