Chinese Communist Party Surpasses 100 Million Members Amid Aging Demographic

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has surpassed 100 million members, marking a 1.1% increase in 2024, with over 21 million applicants waiting for membership approval. Despite this growth, the party's demographic is aging, with a significant rise in members aged 61 and over, while younger membership under 35 is declining, reflecting youth disenchantment. Many Chinese join the CCP not out of ideological loyalty to Xi Jinping but to secure stable government jobs amidst a sluggish economy, highlighting the party's role as a pathway to employment rather than purely political commitment. Internally, the CCP faces intense power struggles, with military commander Zhang Youxia placing key security ministries under military control and ongoing purges amid factional conflicts with Xi Jinping, who clings to power to avoid being overthrown. Xi's leadership style has increased the opacity of China's political elite, reviving Cold War-era Pekingology methods as analysts try to decode subtle signals from Beijing's political maneuvers. Meanwhile, the party continues to expand its bureaucratic reach with new local organizations, even as internal tensions and demographic shifts pose challenges to its long-term stability.