July 1, 2009
A special edition of the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, marks the party’s 88th birthday with a profusion of red print on its front page, and an abundance of feel-good political buzzwords inside.
Beside the nameplate of is a wrap-up titled “The number of the party members have increased 16 times,” which reviews the development of the CPC since 1949:
This year is the 60th anniversary of New China. According to statistics from the Central Organization Department, through the end of 2008, Communist Party members totaled 75.931 million, 16 times the number at the time New China was founded. The number of the low-level party cells is 3.718 million, 19 times that at the time New China was founded. The numbers indicate that the party membership has consistently grown its ranks, optimized its structure, and gradually improved its quality. As the party organization increases its coverage, the CPC demonstrates great vitality and energy.
In terms of sex, ethnicity, and educational background, the 15.969 million female party members account for 21% of the total, compared to only 11.9% in 1949. There are 4.944 million party members who are ethnic minorities, accounting for 6.5% of the totality, compared with 2.5 % in the country’s earliest stages. [25.833] million members have college degree, accounting for 34%. In 1949, that percentage was 0.3%.
The top headline concerns President Hu Jintao’s recent talk on promoting in-party democracy.
Hu was quoted in the article saying that in the face of new historical conditions, “We must converge the wisdom and strength of the Party to an utmost level; we must fully inspire the creativity and vigor of the Party, and we must spare no efforts to consolidate the unity of the Party.” He also spoke about the need to stick to the principle of scientific administration, democratic administration, and rule of the law and to join the bring together different ethnic groups to promote the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Beneath the lead article are three reports on the activities of other central leaders, laid out from top to bottom apparently by the order of their ranks:
● Premier Wen Jiabao sent his congratulations to the 7th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union. (Full transcript in translation here)
● Vice-President Xi Jinping visited a conference with selected outstanding party members. Xi encouraged the attendees to be the “vanguards of the time” and take the task of burnishing the party into their own hands.
● Zhou Yongkang, head of the CPC Central Political and Legislative Affairs Committee, met with Zimbabwe’s Minister of Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa. Zhou said that although China is facing its own difficulties in the global financial tumult, it will offer Zimbabwe help within its capacity to do so. Zhou also encouraged Chinese enterprises to invest more in Zimbabwe.
The headline at the bottom of the page heralds a report on the life of Wu Daguan, an aviation engineer who played a leading role in the research for China’s third-generation fighter jet engine, codenamed Taihang. Wu passed away on March 18 this year at the age of 93.
Wu was praised for his unwavering faith to the party even when he was imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution on suspicion of being a spy. In what seems a self-advertisement, the article wrote that Wu had been a subscriber to the People’s Daily in his last days.
Also, the paper has announced a makeover starting today: the former 16-page newspaper has been expanded to 20 pages, but the price will remain the same.