Beijing, China – The Central Organization Department of the Communist Party of China announced in its annual report released Tuesday, June 30, 2026, that the party’s total membership exceeded 101 million by the end of last year. The report confirmed the party’s continued expansion across various sectors of Chinese society, despite a gradual slowdown in the rate of new memberships.
Membership trends and slowing growth
According to official data, the number of members of the Communist Party of China reached 101,286,000 as of December 31, 2025, an increase of approximately 1,015,000 members, or 1.0%, compared to the end of 2024. Despite this continued rise in absolute numbers, the annual growth rate has slowed significantly for the fourth consecutive year. It was 3.7% in 2021, gradually declining to 1.4% in 2022. It then fell to 1.2% in 2023, 1.1% in 2024, and finally to 1.0% last year.
Demographic and educational composition
Statistics revealed shifts in the party’s gender and educational composition, with women comprising 31.5% of total members (equivalent to 31,914,000 female members), an increase of 0.6 percentage points from the previous year.
The data also showed a trend toward higher academic qualifications, with 59% of members holding a university degree or higher, representing a 1.4 percentage point increase. Members from ethnic minorities constituted approximately 7.8% of total membership, a slight increase of 0.1 percentage points.
Occupational and age distribution
In terms of occupational distribution, those working in agriculture, livestock breeding, and fishing maintained their leading position with 26,068,000 members, followed by retirees with 22,082,000 members, and then technical and professional staff in companies and institutions with 16,692,000. The party also registered 7,429,000 members in government bodies and party institutions. There are 6,718,000 workers and 2,537,000 students.
In terms of age, the 61+ age group leads the list with 29,914,000 members, while the younger members (30 years and under) number 12,094,000.
Organizational diffusion
Alongside the membership figures, the data confirmed the expansion of the Party’s organizational structure nationwide, with the number of grassroots Party organizations—operating in villages, factories, businesses, and institutions—reaching 5,431,000. This represents an increase of 181,000 organizations compared to the previous year, reflecting the Party’s commitment to strengthening its organizational presence in every corner of Chinese society.
Analysts suggest that the slowdown in the growth rate reflects the party’s “quality before quantity” policy of recent years. This policy focuses on attracting talent and qualified personnel rather than simply expanding its numbers, while maintaining deep penetration into the country’s social and economic fabric.
