CPC 97th Anniversary: College students have their say on becoming a Party member

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Chinese youth are taking up quite a share of the nearly 89 million members of the CPC. The latest data from the CPC Central Committee's Organization Department suggest nearly a quarter of party members are below the age of 30. We visit one university in Beijing to take a closer look at why young students are joining the Party.

At Beijing Foreign Studies University, post-graduate student Zhang Yisheng is one of the 33 CPC members in his department. He's been part of the party for four years.

ZHANG YISHENG STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "My grandparents and parents are all party members. So when I was young, they told me that without the CPC, there won't be new China. So, it's my family traditions that teach me I should love and respect CPC."

Besides Yisheng, others have their unique reasons for joining.

WU MENGYU STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "My hometown is Nanjing city and I live very close to the monument to the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign, a symbol of CPC victory. So, I was deeply influenced by the history and have been eager to join the party ever since my childhood."

LIN XULIAO STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "I joined the CPC mainly because I appreciate its governing philosophies and I firmly believe the CPC can lead China to realize its great rejuvenation. "

FAN YAXIN STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "I am now a probationary member of the CPC. I chose to join it because I would like to contribute more to China's future development."

As young members, students say they feel more obliged to bring the positive impact of the party to their classmates.

FAN YAXIN STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "For those who have little understanding of the CPC, I will definitely offer them help. But as college students, we are forming our own value systems. So it depends on the students' own thoughts."

ZHANG YISHENG STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "Majority of my friends love and respect CPC. But there are still some doubts. I will try my best to tell them that no one is perfect and you should be part of the solution to improve it."

Not everyone is ready to join the party. While some still think they are not qualified, others like the fresh graduate Huang Jiajun says he hasn't thought it through.

HUANG JIAJUN STUDENT, BEIJING FOREIGN STUDIES UNIVERSITY "During my studies here, I was not fully aware of the great significance of joining the CPC. But later I was largely motivated by party members around me as they usually play the leading role in organizing class activities."

Right now, more than 1.7 million CPC members are students. One thing they have in common, they are trying their best to become model members of society.