The fifth plenum comes against a backdrop of years of purges that have had some analysts wondering if the issue is corruption or a lack of loyalty

When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he pledged to stamp out corruption all through the ranks of the Communist party. More than a decade later, the pace of investigations has not slowed. Last year, China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.

As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials prepare for an important meeting this week discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda. For those who try to read the tea leaves of elite Chinese politics, concern about the apparent lack of discipline is dominating CCP discussions.

The “fifth plenum” starts on Monday and is set to focus on “major issues on advancing the party’s full and rigorous self-governance”, according to a Chinese state media. In party-speak, “governance” is a byword for discipline, loyalty and anti-corruption.

As Xi continues to crack down on corruption, the fact that investigations nearly always result in a conviction begs the question over whether targets are truly guilty of corruption, or are they just political rivals to the people in charge.