German President Steinmeier, currently visiting China, stated in a speech at Peking University on October 30 that China should not let other countries become overly dependent on it. On October 31, he met with Xi Jinping and Li Qiang, with Li Qiang stating that China is willing to import more high-quality products from Germany.
During the Halloween event in New York on October 31, a wreath mocking Xi Jinping appeared at the scene, drawing a crowd. [Follow-up · October 31, 2026] During the New York Halloween parade on October 31, someone carried a coffin of Xi Jinping to participate in the parade.
On the night of October 31, a netizen dressed up as Xi Jinping during the Halloween event in Shibuya, Tokyo. He said it was a spur-of-the-moment idea and he didn't expect it to be so popular, with people from many countries asking for photos and cameras and flashes constantly going off.
On October 30, German President Steinmeier held talks with Xi Jinping in Beijing, emphasizing that China should play a role in maintaining the international order based on the UN Charter, and that both China and Germany bear this responsibility.
On October 30, the front pages of 12 newspapers, including the People’s Daily, Guangming Daily, Economic Daily, China Youth Daily, Nanfang Daily, and Hubei Daily, were highly identical. All featured the holding of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Central Committee in Beijing as the headline, accompanied by the same set of photos of Xi Jinping speaking and a panoramic view of the meeting, along with extensive coverage of the plenary session communique.
On the afternoon of October 29, at the Fifth Plenary Session, Xi Jinping responded to questions about whether comprehensive strict party governance hinders economic and social development, stating that the impact is positive rather than negative, and emphasized that there must be no hesitation or retreat in the future. Xinhua News Agency published a feature report on October 31.
On October 29, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Central Committee concluded in Beijing, reviewing and adopting the "Decision on Several Major Issues of Persistently Promoting Comprehensive and Strict Governance of the Party." Xi Jinping personally served as the head of the drafting group for the "Decision." On October 30, the authorities held a press conference to brief the public.
The Fifth Plenary Session opened on October 26. Xi Jinping delivered a work report on behalf of the Politburo and provided explanations. It is rumored that he was emotional and pounded the table.
On October 26, the Chinese Communist Party's 20th Central Committee Fifth Plenary Session opened, and CCTV reported on it.
From October 26, CCTV's "Focus Report" launched a three-part series "The Power of Thought," systematically interpreting the scientific connotation, theoretical character, practical basis and theoretical origins of Xi Jinping's thinking on Party building.
The Chinese Communist Party held a commemoration in Beijing marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, with Xi Jinping leading the seven members of the Standing Committee in attendance. Hu Chunhua, viewed as a potential successor, and Ying Yong, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, both failed to appear as expected, sparking speculation about political changes at the top.
The Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Central Committee opened at the Jingxi Hotel in Beijing. The meeting was jointly guarded by the Central Guard Bureau, the Beijing Garrison Command, and police forces, and has drawn close outside attention amid political maneuvering and high-pressure Party rectification.
Many netizens tentatively "rushed the tower" (probed the censorship line) using homophonic phrases such as "pingping dandan de rizi" (peaceful, plain days), and were harshly cracked down on by the authorities; the scope of the bans has expanded to Weibo and QQ, durations have generally escalated to permanent bans, and the trigger words keep expanding.
On October 25, Russian presidential aide Ushakov stated that preparations for a trilateral meeting between Xi Jinping, Trump, and Putin have begun, that all three countries are in principle ready to meet, that the Chinese side's attitude is "very serious," and that the meeting is planned to be held during the Shenzhen APEC summit on November 18-19.
At a Politburo meeting on the eve of the Fifth Plenary Session, the elders and the faction holding real power placed two pieces of paper demanding resignation or dismissal on the table, forcing Xi Jinping to choose one of the two.