China’s Communist Party on track for 100 million members by year’s end

Data shows membership is becoming more educated, while fall in younger membership slows and women, ethnic minority groups sign up in greater numbers

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The Communist Party of China had 99 million members by December 2023, according to data released on Sunday by the Central Organisation Department. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 6:00pm, 1 Jul 2024Updated: 6:13pm, 1 Jul 2024

Membership of the Chinese Communist Party reached 99 million last year and is on track to reach 100 million by the end of 2024, but the rate of growth continues to slow, according to the latest official tally.

In line with tradition, the data was released a day ahead of the July 1 celebrations to honour the party’s founding in 1921.

The Central Organisation Department – the party’s top personnel office – reported a net increase of 1.14 million members, a 1.2 per cent growth, compared with the end of 2022 when party membership rose by 1.4 per cent, increasing by 1.32 million.

Chinese President Xi Jinping – who is also the party’s general secretary – extended greetings to party members across the country on Friday, in advance of the 103rd anniversary, at a Politburo study session.

Xi stressed that “comprehensive and strict governance over the party” must be upheld, to push forward party-building in the new era, and its organisation needs to be effective, insisting on a centralised and united leadership.

Grass roots party organisations also need to be reformed, to increase the party’s local governance ability, he said. Internet and information technologies should be applied to party-building, to achieve full coverage of the organisation, online and offline.