Forging Vanguards of the Era, Manifesting the Great Power of a Major Party

The latest statistics on intra-Party membership from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee show that, as of December 31, 2024, the total number of CPC members stood at 100.271 million, a net increase of 1.086 million over the end of 2023, representing a growth rate of 1.1%. The scale of the CPC membership crossing the threshold of “one hundred million” not only marks a new stage in the building of the Party membership, but also, through the immense force gathered by the membership, powerfully demonstrates the Party’s advanced nature, strong appeal, and vigorous vitality. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “The strength and role of a Marxist political party depend on both the quantity and, even more so, the quality of its members.” [n1] Quantity is the carrier of strength; quality is the soul of strength. Scale builds a grand foundation; quality raises the height of the cause.

中央组织部最新党内统计数据显示，截至2024年12月31日，中国共产党党员总数为10027.1万名，比2023年底净增108.6万名，增幅为1.1%。中国共产党党员队伍规模跨越“亿”级门槛，不仅标志着党员队伍建设迈入崭新阶段，而且队伍所汇聚的磅礴力量，有力彰显了党的先进性、强大吸引力与旺盛生命力。习近平总书记指出，“马克思主义政党的力量和作用，既取决于党员数量，更取决于党员质量”。数量是力量的载体，质量是力量的灵魂；规模构筑了宏伟根基，质量擎起了事业高度。

1. Quality First Is the Iron Law of Building a Marxist Political Party

1.质量优先是马克思主义政党的建党铁律

When founding the first Marxist political organization in human history — the Communist League — Marx and Engels forged iron discipline into the League’s constitution. They not only set seven necessary conditions for membership but also declared with uncompromising resolve: “A member who fails to comply with these conditions shall be expelled.” [n2] Later, while leading the First International, Marx inscribed rigid standards into its statutes, emphasizing that “each branch shall be responsible for the conduct of the members it accepts,” embedding a closed-loop quality management system — from member screening to organizational oversight — deep within the organizational genes of Marxist political parties. During the most critical period of the Russian Civil War, Lenin still stated unequivocally: “We do not want a single member who is a member only in name.” [n3] When drafting the Party constitution, he firmly advocated “not allowing a single empty talker the right or opportunity to be a Party member,” [n4] strictly controlling the entry threshold and strengthening organizational management after admission, requiring that members must join a Party organization. Only in this way could a vanguard of the proletariat be forged, capable of shouldering the great historical mission. Comrade Mao Zedong established the principle of “building the Party ideologically,” requiring members not only to join the Party organizationally but also to join it ideologically. Through “building the Party branch on the company level,” [n5] the Party’s organizational tentacles were deeply rooted on the front lines of struggle, reversing the problem of “suspended” member management and enabling it to take root and integrate into daily life. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized, “Party members are the cells of the Party’s body. The advanced nature and purity of the Party must be manifested through the advanced nature and purity of hundreds of millions of Party members; the Party’s governing mission must be accomplished through the effective work of hundreds of millions of Party members; the Party’s governance of itself and strict governance must be implemented in the management of the Party membership.” [n6] These important expositions together forge the core principle of building the membership of a Marxist political party: as a mass party, a Marxist political party needs a certain scale to cover all fields and reflect its broad representativeness; quantity is the necessary foundation for the survival and development of the party, while quality is the fundamental guarantee for the party to remain invincible and fulfill its historical mission.

在创建人类历史上首个马克思主义政党组织——共产主义者同盟时，马克思、恩格斯就将铁的纪律熔铸于盟章之中。他们不仅为盟员设定了七项必备条件，更以不容妥协的姿态宣告：“盟员如果不能遵守这些条件即行开除。”之后在领导第一国际时，马克思更将刚性标准刻入章程之中，强调“每一支部应对接受的会员的品行负责”，从盟员筛选到组织监管的闭环质量管理，深植在马克思主义政党的组织基因里。列宁在苏俄国内战争最危急的时期，依然旗帜鲜明地指出：“徒有其名的党员，就是白给，我们也不要。”在制定党章时，他坚决主张“不让一个空谈家有权利和机会当党员”，不仅严把入党关口，更在入党后强化组织管理，要求党员必须加入党的一个组织，唯有如此，才能锻造出一支无产阶级的先锋队，肩负起伟大的历史使命。毛泽东同志确立“思想建党”原则，要求党员不仅在组织上入党，更要在思想上入党。通过“支部建在连上”，将党的组织触角深深扎根于战斗一线，扭转了党员管理“悬浮化”问题，使其落地生根、融入日常。习近平总书记强调，“党员是党的肌体的细胞。党的先进性和纯洁性要靠千千万万党员的先进性和纯洁性来体现，党的执政使命要靠千千万万党员卓有成效的工作来完成，党要管党、从严治党必须落实到党员队伍的管理中去”。这些重要论述共同铸就了马克思主义政党党员队伍建设的核心原则：马克思主义政党作为群众性政党，需要以一定规模覆盖各个领域，体现其广泛的代表性，数量是政党生存发展的必要基础，质量则是政党立于不败之地、完成历史使命的根本保障。

Today, the CPC’s membership exceeding one hundred million is both a glorious milestone reflecting the will of the Party and the hearts of the people, and a new starting point for forging an even stronger vanguard on the new journey. We must both cherish the deep foundation and immense power contained in this scale, and forever maintain the sobriety and resolve of “being on the examination,” [n7] taking the quality of members as the ballast stone of the cause. Only in this way can the CPC, with its over one hundred million advanced elements, continuously unleash unparalleled creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness with its immense power, proudly lead the great ship of Chinese-path modernization to break waves and advance, and continuously move from victory to new and greater victories.

今天，中国共产党党员数量过亿，既是党心民心所向的辉煌里程碑，更是新征程上锻造更强先锋队的新起点。我们既要珍视这一规模所蕴含的深厚根基与磅礴伟力，更要永葆“赶考”的清醒与坚定，将党员质量作为事业的压舱石。唯有如此，拥有过亿先进分子的中国共产党，才能以磅礴伟力持续激发无与伦比的创造力、凝聚力、战斗力，昂首引领中国式现代化巨轮破浪前行，不断从胜利走向新的更大胜利。

2. Scale Manifests Intrinsic Appeal and the Foundation of Quality

2.规模彰显内在吸引力与质量底色

In early 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed “following the general requirements of controlling the total number, optimizing the structure, improving quality, and giving play to the role,” and “striving to build a membership that is moderate in scale, reasonable in structure, excellent in quality, strict in discipline, and outstanding in role,” [n8] charting the course for building the Party membership in the New Era. Today, the scale of the CPC’s over one hundred million members profoundly confirms that the Party’s program, purpose, line, principles, and policies have won deep popular support, and its organizational body demonstrates a strong centripetal force and appeal of the times. This scale itself is a vivid portrayal of the continuous improvement in the overall quality of the Party membership in the New Era.

2013年初，习近平总书记提出“按照控制总量、优化结构、提高质量、发挥作用的总要求”，“努力建设一支规模适度、结构合理、素质优良、纪律严明、作用突出的党员队伍”，为新时代党员队伍建设指明了方向。如今，中国共产党过亿党员的规模，深刻印证了党的纲领、宗旨、路线方针深得人心，其组织肌体展现出强大的向心力与时代感召力。这一规模本身就是新时代党员队伍整体质量不断提升的生动写照。

Strictly controlling the entry gate. From 2013 to 2024, the national average annual number of applicants for Party membership was 20.627 million, and the average annual number of new Party members developed was 2.377 million. Behind the screening ratio of 8.7 to 1 lies the firm determination to prefer quality over quantity, and it is also the guarantee of the Party’s unfading purity. To prevent people with impure motives who attempt to use Party membership for personal gain from sneaking into the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has explicitly

严把入口关。2013至2024年，全国年均申请入党人数2062.7万名，年均发展党员237.7万名，8.7：1的筛选率背后是宁缺毋滥的坚定决心，也是党永不褪色的纯度保障。为杜绝动机不纯、企图利用党员身份谋取私利的人混入党内，习近平总书记明确要求“把政治标准放在首位，确保政治合格”。各级党组织结合实际，探索建立政审联审制度，制定完善负面清单，确保新发展党员政治合格、质量过硬。层层筛选与长期考察机制从源头上为党员队伍质量筑起了堤坝。

Continuously optimize the structure. Youth are the future of the country; far-sighted political parties always direct their gaze toward youth and toward the future. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the proportion of new Party members aged 35 and under has exceeded 80% each year, and this steady influx of youthful blood keeps the century-old major Party vibrant and vigorous. The level of knowledge and professionalization of the Party membership has been continuously raised; the proportion of Party members with college degrees or above has exceeded 50% since 2019. In particular, under the premise of overall numerical control, the proportion of new Party members drawn from the front line of production and work has been rising, exceeding 50% for eight consecutive years. This stands in stark contrast to the predicament of some Western political parties, where the role of Party members is marginalized and the organization is hollowed out. The Communist Party of China sinks its roots deep into the fertile soil of the people, using front-line Party members as a bond. This not only breaks down the tendency toward elitism that can arise from long-term governance, but also enables the Party’s banner to fly on every front of national governance, making it a key force driving high-quality development.

持续优化结构。青年是国家的未来，有远见的政党总是把目光投向青年、投向未来。党的十八大以来，35岁及以下青年在新发展党员中占比每年均超80%，源源不断的青春血液让百年大党生机勃发。党员队伍知识化、专业化水平持续提升，大专及以上学历党员占比自2019年起已超50%。尤其是在总量控制的前提下，来自生产、工作一线的党员在新发展党员数量中的占比不断上升，已连续八年超过50％，这与西方一些政党党员作用边缘化、组织空心化的困境形成鲜明对比。中国共产党将根系深扎人民沃土，以一线党员为纽带，既破除长期执政可能滋生的精英化倾向，更使党的旗帜飘扬在治国理政的各条战线上，成为推动高质量发展的关键力量。

Effectively play a role. On battlefields such as poverty alleviation, epidemic prevention and control, and flood relief and emergency rescue, millions of Party members loudly declare, “I am a Party member, let me go first,” building a Great Wall of steel with their flesh and blood, and interpreting loyalty and faith through selfless dedication. On the forward positions of scientific and technological innovation, Party member突击队 (assault teams) charge at “bottleneck” technologies, moving strongholds forward and advancing vanguards, opening breakthroughs on the high ground of science and technology and planting the flag of independent innovation. On the “last meter” of serving the masses, the vast majority of Party members transform themselves into “intimate confidants,” listening to public opinion, resolving public concerns, and alleviating public difficulties, turning the Party’s warmth into concrete, tangible livelihood projects that can be seen and felt. It is precisely this advanced nature, manifested in the everyday and the small, that coalesces into the powerful centripetal force of the Communist Party of China, attracting hundreds of millions of people to actively draw close to the Party organization. The vigorous growth of the Party’s scale has become an unstoppable trend of the times.

切实发挥作用。在脱贫攻坚、疫情防控、抗洪抢险等战场上，千百万党员高喊“我是党员我先上”，以血肉之躯筑起钢铁长城，用无私奉献诠释忠诚信仰。在科技创新的前沿阵地，党员突击队向“卡脖子”技术发起冲锋，堡垒前移、尖兵突进，在科技高地上打开突破口，插上自主创新的旗帜。在服务群众的最后一米，广大党员化身“贴心人”，听民意、解民忧、纾民困，把党的温暖化作一件件看得见、摸得着的民生实事。正是身边的、点滴的先进性，汇聚成中国共产党强大的向心力，吸引亿万人民积极向党组织靠拢，党员规模的蓬勃壮大成为不可阻挡的时代趋势。

3. Continuously enhance the great power of quality while consolidating the advantage of scale

3.在巩固规模优势中持续提升质量伟力

As the world’s largest Marxist ruling party, how to correctly handle the relationship between the quantity and quality of Party members, optimize the structure, and improve quality is a major issue of the times that requires in-depth study. Especially now that the scale of Party membership has reached a historic high, higher demands are placed on the education, management, and supervision of Party members. It must be profoundly understood that the advantage of scale cannot automatically transform into an advantage of quality. Only through unremitting effort and sustained perseverance can the potential of quantity be converted into the invincible practical great power.

作为世界上最大的马克思主义执政党，如何正确处理党员数量与质量的关系，优化结构，提高质量，是需要深入研究的一个时代课题。尤其当下党员规模达到历史新高，对党员的教育管理监督提出更高要求。必须深刻认识到，规模优势不能自动转化为质量优势，唯有常抓不懈、久久为功，方能将数量势能转化为无坚不摧的实践伟力。

Strengthen education and management. Persistently use the Party’s innovative theory to solidify the soul and unite the mind, ensuring that the entire Party consistently unifies its thinking, will, and action amid complex struggles. Taking the implementation of the *National Party Member Education and Training Work Plan (2024–2028)* as the driving force, strictly abide by the provisions of the *Regulations on the Education and Management of CPC Members*, highlight Party spirit education and political theory education, and never forget the original aspiration and founding mission. Fully leverage the main role of Party schools, improve the mechanism for regular training, especially basic training, and push high-quality training resources directly to the grassroots frontline. At the same time, strictly standardize the daily education and management of Party branches; by implementing organizational life systems such as the “three meetings and one lesson” [2]2 The “three meetings and one lesson” (三会一课) refers to the regular holding of branch general membership meetings, branch committee meetings, Party group meetings, and Party lessons, a basic system of organizational life within the CPC. and themed Party days, drive Party members to continuously strengthen their Party spirit training. Use new media to innovate online education methods and precisely push educational content. Establish a smart Party-building system to achieve functions such as online Party member education, online management of Party organization activities, and intelligent statistical analysis of Party member and organization data, promoting the refinement, precision, and convenience of Party member education and management.

强化教育管理。坚持不懈用党的创新理论凝心铸魂，确保全党在复杂斗争中始终统一思想、统一意志、统一行动。以落实《全国党员教育培训工作规划（2024—2028年）》为牵引，严格遵守《中国共产党党员教育管理工作条例》规定，突出党性教育和政治理论教育，不忘初心、牢记使命。充分发挥党校主阵地作用，健全常态化培训特别是基本培训机制，推动优质培训资源直达基层一线。同时，严格规范支部日常教育管理，通过落实“三会一课”、主题党日等组织生活制度，推动党员不断强化党性锻炼。借助新媒体，创新线上教育手段，精准推送教育内容。建立智慧党建系统，实现党员教育线上开展、党组织活动网上管理、党员和党组织数据智能统计分析等功能，促进党员教育管理的精细化、精准化和便利化。

Strictly enforce organizational discipline. With the Party’s self-revolution spirit, persistently advance comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, guiding Party members to abide by the Party Constitution, Party regulations, and Party discipline. Deeply promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of discipline education, drawing clear red lines for Party member behavior and establishing live high-voltage lines, ensuring that Party members know to revere, maintain caution, and hold the bottom line. Leverage the characteristic of branches managing each individual, establish and implement a system for analyzing Party members’ ideological dynamics, effectively conduct heart-to-heart talks, accurately grasp hidden problems and risks, and achieve early detection, early warning, and early supervision. Timely identify those who do not meet Party member standards, and strictly implement organizational measures such as correction within a set period, persuasion to withdraw, and expulsion in accordance with regulations. For those with moral decay and corruption, adhere to zero tolerance, resolutely expel them from the Party and severely punish them according to law, defending the purity of the Party membership with thunderous measures.

严明组织纪律。以党的自我革命精神，持之以恒推进全面从严治党，引导党员遵守党章党规党纪。深入推进纪律教育常态化长效化，为党员行为划出清晰红线，立起带电高压线，确保党员知敬畏、存戒惧、守底线。发挥支部管到人头的特点，建立落实党员思想动态分析制度，有效开展谈心谈话，准确掌握问题隐患，做到早发现、早提醒、早监督。及时发现不符合党员标准者，按规定严格执行限期改正、劝退、除名等组织处置。对道德败坏、腐化变质者，坚持零容忍，坚决清除出党并依法严惩，以雷霆手段捍卫党员队伍的纯洁性。

Highlight practical tempering. Drive Party members to take on responsibilities and hone their character on the main battlefield of reform and development and at the forefront of serving the masses, so that their vanguard and exemplary role continuously shines in the development of the times. Continuously deepen the “open recruitment and task assignment” mechanism [3]3 “Open recruitment and task assignment” (揭榜挂帅) is a mechanism where specific tasks or problems are publicly announced, and individuals or teams are recruited to take them on, often used to incentivize innovation and problem-solving., set up Party member responsibility zones, Party member demonstration posts, Party member突击队 [4]4 “突击队” (tūjīduì) literally means “assault team” or “shock brigade”; in this context, it refers to a Party member task force mobilized for urgent or difficult missions., and Party member service teams in key areas, pushing Party members to show their identity, shoulder heavy burdens, and act as vanguards, manifesting the advanced nature of Party members through concrete actions and actual achievements. Continuously advance the “dual registration” system [5]5 The “dual registration” system (双报到) requires Party members to register both at their work unit and at their residential community, enabling them to participate in community service and governance., organizing Party members to sink into community grids and fields, transforming into “red stewards” to resolve disputes and “agricultural technology light cavalry” to transmit skills. Measure the warmth of public sentiment with footsteps, resolve urgent, difficult, and anxious problems with sweat, and enhance the ability to work with the masses in practical matters such as renovating old residential communities and assisting with characteristic industries, practicing the fundamental purpose of serving the people.

突出实践历练。推动党员在改革发展主战场、服务群众最前沿担当作为、砥砺品质，使先锋模范作用在时代发展中持续闪耀。不断深化“揭榜挂帅”机制，在关键领域设立党员责任区、党员示范岗、党员突击队、党员服务队等，推动党员亮身份、扛重担、当先锋，以实干实绩彰显党员先进本色。持续推进“双报到”制度，组织党员沉入社区网格、田间地头，化身“红管家”解纠纷、“农技轻骑兵”传技能。用脚板丈量民情温度，以汗水破解急难愁盼，在老旧小区改造、特色产业帮扶等实事中提升群众工作本领，践行为人民服务的根本宗旨。

(Author: Zheng Qi, is a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era of the Central Party School [National Academy of Governance] and a professor in the Teaching and Research Department of the United Front Work.)

（作者：郑琦，系中央党校〔国家行政学院〕习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员、统一战线教研部教授）

Online Editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心