Beijing: China's ruling Communist Party(CPC), headed by President Xi Jinping, had a total of 88.758 million members at the end of last year, registering 1.1 per cent increase compared to 2014.
The party, which will turn 95 tomorrow, has planned several special events to mark the occasion. Membership of the CPC increased from 2014 by 1.1 per cent, or 965,000. Of the total, 22.278 million, or 25.1 per cent, are women, said a communique published by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee ahead of the 95th anniversary of the party's founding on July 1.
It said there are 6.18 million members from ethnic minorities constituting seven per cent of the total. Most Party members were recruited between 1979, when China started reform and opening up, and 2012.
People employed in farming, animal husbandry and fishing take up the biggest percentage (about 30 per cent) of all members, followed by staff of corporates and government-affiliated agencies.
With emphasis on student recruitment, the CPC has now stressed the "quality" of members while limiting the quantity, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.
More than 22 million residents had applied for Party membership by the end of 2015, while less than 45 per cent of the applications were accepted. Last year, party authorities approved 1.965 million new candidates, of whom 718,000 are students, accounting for 36.5 per cent.
The CPC will observe the candidates for an unspecified period before giving them full membership. The number of student candidates decreased by 0.8 per cent year on year.
About 40 per cent of the new candidates have a junior college degree or higher. CPC is present in every office, military, ministry and departments making it an omnipresent organisation in China.
The 2.3-million military, the largest in the world, functions under the party and owes allegiance to it. The number of grassroots party units increased by 54,000 to 4.413 million, a rise of 1.2 per cent compared to 2014, the department said.
Almost all urban neighbourhoods, communities and towns have established party organs. Nearly 91 per cent of public enterprises have resident party organs, which supervise operation and participate in decision-making.
Party organs are also in place in half of all private enterprises and 41 per cent of social organisations, it said. Party organs in private enterprises and social organisations usually do not interfere in commercial operations but will watch for malpractice and pass on central instructions.
