Number of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members 2011-2021

On December 31, 2021, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had about 96.71 million members, making it the second largest political party in the world. The CCP is the sole governing political party in China and it pervades all parts of the Chinese society. Over the years, the number of its members has been increasing constantly.

The Communist Party in China

The CCP was founded in 1921 and became the single ruling party with the proclamation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The number of its members increased from about 4.5 million in 1949 to more than 80 million in 2010, representing around 6.7 percent of the total Chinese population in 2021. Membership in the CCP is popular, but selection of new comrades is strict. Only about one out of eight applicants are allowed into the final examination process which ultimately opens the path to party membership if the personal requirements are met. The total admission process takes at least one and a half years but can also last much longer. Certain incentives for party membership are worldly by nature, as it might open up better personal opportunities in parts of the society. In the public service, party membership is mandatory for employees dreaming of a successful career.

Composition of the CCP

Looking at the professions of CCP members reveals that the party still upholds its tradition as the mouthpiece of the proletariat. Around 27 percent of party members were farmers, herders, and fishermen in 2021. The share of women in the party has been growing in past years and reached around 29 percent in 2021, up from 22.5 percent in 2010. Ethnic minority groups play an important role in the self-representation of the party as a unifying force in the country. Minority groups are comparatively well represented among party members, with a share slightly larger than the minorities' proportion in the total population. However, this share is still well below 10 percent.