113 Empty Seats: 5 Signals China's Record NPC Absenteeism Under Xi Sends to Its Power Structure
At the opening ceremony of the National People's Congress on March 5, 2026, 113 delegates were absent — the highest number since Xi Jinping took power, excluding the COVID-19 period. As the anti-corruption purge sweeps the very top of the military and regional power elite, an unprecedented vacuum has emerged in China's supreme political institution.
113 empty seats failed to fill the opening ceremony of the world's largest single-chamber legislature. This is not simply an absence — it is live evidence of an anti-corruption purge shaking the very top of China's power hierarchy.
TL;DR
- The 4th Session of the 14th NPC opened on March 5, 2026; 113 of 2,878 delegates absent (most since Xi took power, excluding COVID)
- 19 delegates disqualified before the session (including 9 military figures), in the wake of anti-corruption investigations
- The CMC (Central Military Commission) reduced to just Xi Jinping + Zhang Shengmin, with top general Zhang Youxia also under investigation
- NPC Presidium shrank from 176 to 167 members; Politburo member Ma Xingrui dropped from the list
- Economic growth target lowered to 4.5–5% (first downgrade in 4 years; lowest target since 1991)
Facts: What Happened
The 4th Session of the 14th National People's Congress opened the morning of March 5 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji officially announced that 2,765 of 2,878 delegates attended, with 113 absent.
This is the highest number of absentees since Xi Jinping took power in 2012, excluding 2022 at the height of COVID-19 restrictions (161 absent). Compared to the past three years, it is 2–3 times higher (2023: 25, 2024: 56, 2025: 49).
The Presidium, the key body overseeing NPC proceedings, also shrank from 176 members last year to 167 — a 9-member reduction despite 5 new local leaders being added. Such a net decline is unprecedented.
Why These Numbers Are Shocking
This is not simple absenteeism. Behind the numbers lies Xi Jinping's sweeping anti-corruption purge.
- Former CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia: Investigation launched in January; a long-time Xi ally and the highest-ranking military figure. Reuters cited a Brookings Institution expert saying "no one is truly safe."
- Former CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong: Expelled from the Communist Party in October 2025 on corruption charges.
- As a result, the CMC now consists of effectively just Xi Jinping + new Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin.
- On February 27, just before the opening, the credentials of 19 NPC delegates — including 9 military figures — were revoked. Reasons were undisclosed but linked to anti-corruption investigations.
- Ma Xingrui, a Politburo member, has disappeared from public view since October 2025 and was dropped from this year's Presidium.
The NPC was once dismissed as a rubber-stamp body, but when absences reach this scale, they become a direct measure of the power vacuum.
Context: The Structure Behind the Numbers
A 'Qualitative Shift' in the Anti-Corruption Campaign
Xi Jinping made anti-corruption a core political tool immediately after taking power in 2012. Early targets were local officials and state enterprise executives. But since 2023, the scope has expanded to senior military commanders (including Rocket Force commanders and deputy commanders), CMC members, and even close allies — transforming it into an "unbridled purge."
According to the BBC, in 2025 alone, over 115 senior officials were investigated and more than 60 were punished.
Economic Policy: A Shift Toward Managed Deceleration
The Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Qiang on the same day set the economic target at 4.5–5%. This represents:
- A retreat from the "around 5%" target maintained for three consecutive years (2023–2025)
- The lowest target since 1991 (4.5%)
- A reflection of the prolonged US-China trade war, supply chain instability from the Iran crisis, and a lingering property slump
The defense budget surpassed ₩400 trillion, maintaining the military modernization agenda.
5 Signals for Korea and the World
- Instability in China's military command structure: With the CMC effectively a two-person body, security uncertainty over Taiwan and other flashpoints grows
- Risk of economic leadership turnover: Many of the ousted officials oversaw economic and energy portfolios, creating uncertainty for Korea's export and investment negotiations
- Lower growth target = pivot to domestic demand: Policies promoting consumption and domestic demand could open opportunities for Korean consumer goods and tourism
- Anti-corruption uncertainty = foreign investment aversion: Unpredictable business environment raises the risk premium for foreign firms
- Reshaping of China-driven geopolitical variables: A gap in top military leadership makes China's mediation role in global conflicts — including the Iran situation — unpredictable
Outlook: How Long Will This Continue?
| Area | Short-term (~6 months) | Long-term (1 year+) |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-corruption purge | High likelihood of continuation and intensification | May ease once power consolidation is complete |
| Economic growth | All-out effort to defend 4.5–5% | Depends on success of structural reforms |
| Military modernization | Budget increases despite command vacuum | Resumes after CMC reorganization |
| Korea risk | Continued uncertainty in China-bound exports | Pressure to diversify supply chains ↑ |
Experts interpret this record absenteeism not as a one-off purge but as a pre-emptive consolidation of power ahead of Xi's 4th term (2027–).
Checklist: What to Verify Now
References
- Yonhap News: This year's NPC opening ceremony delegates — fewest since Xi took power (comprehensive)
- Chosun Biz: China's NPC: 113 absentees amid 'anti-corruption crackdown' — most under Xi's rule
- Reuters: Two senior Communist Party officials absent from top Chinese political event
- BBC News: China removes nine military officials ahead of key political meeting
- Korea Economic Daily: China's 2026 GDP growth target lowered to 4.5–5% — first downgrade in 4 years
Image Credit
- Great Hall of the People — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0