Zhongnanhai, Beijing - Headquarters of CPC and Chinese Government
Wall Banner on the left-hand side: "Long Live the Great Chinese Communist Party!"
Wall Banner on the right-hand side: "Long Live the Invincible Mao Zedong Thought!"

Brief Introduction of the Communist Party of China

The Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded on July 1, 1921 in Shanghai, China. After 28 years of struggle, the CPC finally won victory of "new-democratic revolution" and founded the People's Republic of China in 1949. The CPC is the ruling party of mainland China (P.R. China).

The Communist Party of China is founded mainly on ideology and politics. The CPC derives its ideas and policies from the people's concentrated will and then turns that will into State laws and decisions which are passed by the National People's Congress of China through the State's legal procedures. Theoretically, CPC does not take the place of the government in the State's leadership system. The Party conducts its activities within the framework of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the law and has no right to transcend the Constitution and the law. All Party members, like all citizens in the country, are equal before the law.

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, held in December 1978, decided to shift the focus of the Party's work to socialist modernization and set a policy of reform and opening up to the outside world.

Any Chinese who has reached the age of 18, accepts the Party's Program and Constitution and is willing to join and work actively in one of the Party organizations, carry out the Party's decisions and pay membership dues regularly, may apply for membership of the CPC. Its membership increased from 70 in 1921 to over 66 million in 2002.

The highest leading body of the Party is the National Congress and the Central Committee elected by it. The National Congress of the Party is held once every five years and convened by the Central Committee.
 

New Introduction Movie Made by the Party

Basics of the Communist Party of China

• Date of Establishment: July of 1921

• Place of Establishment: Shanghai, China

• General Secretary of the Central Committee: Xi Jinping (Elected on18th Party's National Congress)

Xi Jinping

• Motto: Seeking Truth From the Facts

• Ultimate Goal: Establishment of a communist social system

• Flag and Emblem: (click for details)
  
  
   

• Guiding Ideology: Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought

• Total Number of Party Members: 82.6 million (Dec. 2011)

• Total Number of Branches: Over 3.3 millions (grass-roots branches)

• The Party's Constitution: The Constitution of the Communist Party of China

• The Party's Publications:  

  • Renmin Ribao (People's Daily), the organ newspaper of the CPC Central Committee with circulation of 2.8 million in 2011 (2.3 million in Dec. 1999) Editor in Chief: Mr. Cai Mingzhao (2012); Director: Mr. Zhang Yannong (2012). 

  • Qiu Shi (Seeking Truth), the CPC's theoretical publication. The theoretical magazine used to be named Hong Qi (Red Flag).

• The Major Organizations Under Central Committee:

  • International Liaison Department (Chief:   )

  • United Front Work Department (Chief: ) (website is in Chinese)

  • Organization Department (Chief: Zhao Leji )

  • Publicity Department (Chief: Liu Qibao )

  • Party Central Academy (Party School of Central Committee of CPC) website in Chinese (President:           )

• Total Number of Branches: Over 3.3 millions (grass-roots branches)

The CCP's 18th National Congress Leadership

• Political Bureau of 18th National Congress: 
  
  Members of Standing Committee of Political Bureau: Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng,  Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan, Zhang Gaoli
  
  Members of Political Bureau (alphabetically listed)  Fan Changlong, Guo Jinlong, Han Zheng, Hu Chunhua, Ma Kai, Li Jianguo, Li Keqiang, Li Yuanchao, Li Zhanshu,  Liu Qibao, Liu Yandong (female), Liu Yunshan, Meng Jianzhu, Sun Chunlan (female), Sun Zhengcai, Wang Huning, Wang Qishan, Wang Yang, Xi Jinping,  Xu Qiliang, Yu Zhengsheng, Zhang Chunxian, Zhang Dejiang, Zhang Gaoli, Zhao Leji.
   

• The Secretariat of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC (They were nominated by the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee and approved at the first plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.) Members: Liu Yunshan, Liu Qibao, Zhao Leji, Li Zhanshu, Du Qinglin, Zhao Hongzhu, Yang Jing (Mongolian).
   

• Central Military Commission:
  Chairman: Xi Jinping
  Vice Chairmen: Fan Changlong, Xu Qiliang
  Members: Chang Wanquan, Fang Fenghui, Zhang Yang, Zhao Keshi, Zhang Youxia, Wu Shengli, Ma Xiaotian, Wei Fenghe
   

• Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC: Chief: Wang Qishan, total members: 130 people
   

• Central Committee of the CPC: total members 205
   

• Total Alternate Members of Central Committee: total members 171

All National Congresses of the Chinese Communist Party

*USSR

Related Video: Military Must Obey the Communist Party

Related Pictures: the Largest CPC flag

Location: Museum of "Without the Communist Party there wouldn't be New China", Tangshang Village, Xiayunling Township, Fangshan District, Beijing (click for enlargement of this picture)

•  Celebrating 90th Anniversary of Funding of Chinese Communist Party (click for full story)

Meet China's new provincial party chiefs (full story)

Communist Party leadership warns of "austere" year for China - Xinhua

China's Communist Party approves rural land reform. AP

China will taste democracy by 2020, says official. SMH.com.au

China Communists seek to expand internal market. AP

China's top paper says Olympics shows Party rule works. Guardian, UK

China lays to rest Mao's chosen successor Hua Guofeng. Reuters

A Banner Too Far: Bao Tong on the 17th Party Congress

CPC Organization Dept. gets new head

Hu Jintao heads Politburo Standing Committee, with four new faces joining in Oct. 22, 2007

CPC congress closes, opening new chapter for scientific development  Xinhua Oct.21, 2007

Q&A: China's Party Congress BBC Oct. 16, 2007

CPC opens National Congress to map China's next five years, Oct. 15, 2007

China's Hu promises more democracy CNN, Oct. 15, 2007

China's new leaders steeped in pragmatism CNN Oct 13, 2007

CPC Central Committee key plenum opens Oct. 9, 2007 The Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened in Beijing on Tuesday morning.

Media center for 17th CPC National Congress opens

17th CPC National Congress Proposed to convene in mid October, Aug. 28, 2007

Nearly 2,000 Chinese officials confess wrongdoings

How delegates to 17th CPC National Congress elected?

Chinese president stresses PLA's loyalty to CPC

Former Shanghai party chief jailed, waiting for trial

CPC recruits almost 12 million members in five years

Party leaders to be more media savvy, July 17, 2007

2.86 mln Communist Party members work in China's private sector

Source: Xinhua July 12, 2007 - About 2.86 million members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) were working for private enterprises by the end of 2006, according to the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

There were also 810,000 CPC members among the ranks of the self-employed, said a document released by the department here Thursday.

There were a total of 178,000 CPC organs in private firms in 2006, a rise of 79.8 percent over 2002, and 94.2 percent of them had at least three Party members.

At its 16th National Congress held in Beijing in 2002, the CPC took a significant step forward by including in its constitution provisions relating to party organs in the private sector.

Early this year the organization department said that about 330,000 Party workers have been sent to private enterprises to help organize party organs and recruit members.

The CPC now has 70 million members.

Local Party committees in 14 provinces reshuffled
Xinhua News - Jan. 16, 2007 - Fourteen of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the Chinese mainland had reshuffled local Party committees following internal elections for Party officials by last December. The number of deputy Party chiefs in the local Party committees was cut by 38 to 33, a display of the Party's determination to improve efficiency and strengthen ruling capacity, according to the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Positions in the standing committees of local Party committees were also reduced by eight to 186, with the average age of members down by half a year to 52.7-years-old. There are now 56 members aged below 50 and 21 members aged around 45 in the standing committees of local Party committees, and at least one woman cadre in most of the 14 provincial Party committees. In contrast to the general efforts to streamline Party organizations, posts in the Party's discipline inspection commissions were increased by 24.6 percent. "It will help discipline inspection sectors to perform their duties better," said an official with the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee. Local Party leadership elections, which occur every five years, have been completed at the provincial, municipal, county and township levels, in Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Henan, Anhui, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Hunan, Hebei, Yunnan, Guangxi, Fujian and Jiangxi. The election of Party officials in other regions and jurisdictions will be completed by the middle of this year.

Official Coverage of 17th Communist Party Congress (People's Daily)

Official Coverage of 17th Communist Party Congress (Xinhua News)

Stefan Landsberger's Chinese Propaganda Poster Pages

How delegates to 17th CPC National Congress elected?

Special Information Link: The End of the Long March - 70 Years On

The 85th Birthday of the Communist Party of China

The Communist Party of China (CPC): Chinese Communist Party's Official Introduction

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Official introduction from CPC's newspaper People's Daily

China Official Link: About Chinese Communist Party

CPC sets date for Central Committee plenum
Xinhuanet, Sep. 29, 2005 - The fifth plenary session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will be held in Beijing from Oct. 8 to 11. The decision was made by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at a meeting held here on Thursday. (click for full report)

CPC Official Hot Link: The Chinese Communist Party's 16th National Congress

Other Language Versions News Sources of the Communist Party of China's

• Chinese (Simplified)
• Chinese (Traditional, BIG5)
• Japanese
• Kazakh
• Korean
• Mongolian
• Russian
• Tibetan

• Total Numbers of Chinese Communist Party

• By the end of 2011, the total members of CPC reached 82.602 million, a  2.9% (2.233 million) increase over 2010. There were 4.027 million CPC's  branches in all levels of the Party system by the end of 2011, a 3.5% (135,000) increase over 2010.

*Communist Party of China 2011 information. Source; Xinhua

• By the end of 2010, the total members of CPC reached 80.269 million, a 2.27 million increase over the last year (excluding those dead during this period). Among them worker members are 7 million and farmer members are 24 million. (source: CPC Organization Dept. June 2011)
• By the end of 2009, Chinese Communist Party has 77.995 million members, a 2.065 million increase over the last year. Among these members, females (16.94 million) share 21.7% of total CPC members; Ethnic minority members (5.13 millions) share 6.6%. 35.7% of CPC members (27.87 million) have college or higher education background. Total number of CPC branches (grass-roots branches are called zhi'bu in Chinese) 3.374 million.

CPC Members' age distribution

CPC Members' career distribution

(Source: People's Daily June 28, 2010, translated by CT)

• By the end of 2007, Chinese Communist Party has 74.153 million members. Among these members, female shares 20.4%, and 32.4% members have college or higher education, and 23.7% members are below 35 years old. (July 1, 2009)
   
• Total Number of Branches: Over 3.3 millions (grass-roots branches)

• 2005 Statistics: Total members of CPC: 70.80 million. Among those members, 19.2% were female; 23% were below 35 years old. 29% had received college education.
   
• 2002 Statistics: Total members of CPC: 66.36 million. Among those members: 16.6% (10.29 million) are female; 6.1% (3.79 million) are minority people; 23.1% of them (14.28 million) are under 35 years old; 4.6% of them (2.86 million) are under 25 years old; 47.2% (29.19 million) of them are high-school graduates (among them, 17.8% have college or university degrees; 0.5% (310,000) with graduate degrees). In 1998 alone, 2.26 million people are newly enrolled into the Party.

ADVERTISEMENT

Xi Jinping gave his first speech as general secretary of the Communist Party,- A Promise to Tackle China’s Problems, but Few Hints of a Shift in Path (click for full story)

Departing Chinese Leader Tries to Cement Legacy Opposing Reform (full story)

China Communist Party Congress: Hu Jintao dismisses any hopes of reform - The Chinese Communist party began its once-in-a-decade handover of power by vowing that while its leaders are changing, there will be no change to its hardline policies. (full story)

China hauls away activists in congress crackdown (click link for full story)

From Toys to TV News, Jittery Beijing Clamps Down (click link for full story)

Wen Jiabao's £1.68bn family wealth: China furious at US exposé - New York Times website blocked after disclosing web of assets in new embarrassment for Communist party (click for full report)

Chinese Communist newspaper urges unity in Bo Xilai scandal (full article)

Why China’s richest man is joining the communists  (link to full story)

Hu warns Chinese Communist Party (details on BBC)

Kung fu propaganda - There’s a ton of easy money in praising the party (details)

This Fourth, light a sparkler for China's future - As China's Communist Party celebrates its founding, it is stuck in an internal debate on whether to admit that values such as human rights are universal or merely Western. Aren't all good ideas universal? (click for details on Christian Science Monitor)

Great Party, but Where's the Communism? (click for details)

China Communists celebrate 90 years - Wearing matching baseball hats for easy identification, Chinese tour groups are an increasingly common sight. By Michael Bristow, BBC News (click for full report)

Reel China: Political maneuvers drive 'Beginning of the Great Revival's' success - The epic about the Chinese Communist Party stars China's most famous actors. Theaters have cleared room for it and companies are pushing employees to see it. (click for details on Los Angeles Times)

The princelings are coming - Next year’s changes in the leadership will bring on a new generation of privileged political heirs (click for details on the Economist,  June 23, 2011)

Red alert: China gears up to avoid Soviet-style collapse (click for details)

China Unrest -- Instability Grows as China's Citizens Yearn for Something the Communist Party Can't Provide (click for details)

'Red song' campaign in China strikes some false notes - Before the Communist Party's 90th birthday, people are singing in homage. The 'red song' campaign began in Chongqing, launched by an ambitious party figure. Some see shades of the Cultural Revolution. (link to source of this article)

China's party princelings fight for a chance to go back to the future (click for details)

It's not if, but when, China owns the world  - Business should be wary of the Communist Party's role in the corporate culture, says Isabel Hilton. (click for details on the Sydney Morning Herald)

How to Understand China: Summer Reading - By Michael Levy. (details)

The party's the problem By Paul Monk

China: When the party is over - By Benjamin A Shobert  (click for details)

China's next leader? A look Xi Jinping's rise - Vice President Xi Jinping was promoted Monday to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, a key post seen as the penultimate step on the ladder to China's top job in 2013. (Click for details on the Christian Science Monitor)

China's Communist Party opens to media (click for details)

Communist Party of China's gesture of 'openness' to the media (click for details)

China orders officials to declare marital status (click for details)

China issues ethics rules for party -Frequently broken; 'Illicit benefits' include vacations, karaoke (link to the Gazette)

60 years of Communist Party rule

China's leaders give little away - By Kent Ewing

China's Communist Party mulls new anti-graft rules - Party meeting may also give more power to President Hu's apparent successor

China VP Set to Get Military Post in a Step to Top - China's elite open conclave, with vice president set to get post on military commission

China Watched for Sign of New Leader

CNN Report on 16th Party Congress: "Jiang rules out democratic reform"

CNN looks back at the 80 years of rule by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and reports on the nation's economy and political climate.

Jiang Zemin - CNN In-Depth Specials CNN profiles the president of the People's Republic of China who is also head of the military and general secretary of the Communist Party.

Early Years of the Chinese Communist Party Looks at the early years of the Communist Party in China and profiles the efforts of pioneer organizers Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu.

Historical Documents from the Communist Party of China (CPC)

World Tibet Network News: Hu Jintao

Britannica: Zhou Enlai  - profile of the leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party and the premier and foreign minister of the People's Republic of China.

Columbia Encyclopedia: Communist Party, in China

Statement of The Central Committee of The Chinese Communist Party, February 1, 1947  - from the Modern History Sourcebook

Modern China: The Chinese Communist Party