Plenums are essentially closed door meetings of the Party's central committee that happen at least once a year In the Chinese capital a major political gathering is underway, with a closed-door meeting of senior figures that could shape the look of the ruling Communist Party in the years to come. The Fifth Plenum brings together around 300 members of the Central Committee and state media said it would pave the way for a "tightening of discipline" within the Party's ranks.