Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-17 21:13:38|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has about 89 million members, roughly 6.8 percent of the population. Membership of the CPC entails certain rights and responsibilities.

According to the Party's Constitution, members should be a vanguard fighting for the Chinese working class. They should serve the people wholeheartedly.

The Party's admission process usually begins with a handwritten application. To be admitted a member must be 18 years old, accept the Party's program and Constitution, and pay membership dues.

Party members have many rights, including to discuss, vote (in Party elections) and criticize. They are expected to study and implement the Party line, principles and resolutions. They must observe Party discipline and carry out the Party's decisions.

China implements strict governance of the Party. In the past five years, the CPC made and revised 80 intra-party regulations. Discipline for CPC members is even stricter than law.

According to CPC norms on clean conduct and self-discipline, CPC members must separate public and private interests, put the public interests first and work selflessly. It also demands members to champion simplicity, thriftiness and guard against extravagance.

The CPC regulation on disciplinary sanctions lists extravagant eating and drinking as violations. It also demands members not to form intra-party cliques, defy principles, hide personal issues, or use their political powers to seek profit for relatives or staff.

CPC members in leading positions need to report their marriage status and overseas travel plans.

During the past five years, some 176,000 violations have been investigated, and nearly 240,000 CPC officials have been punished, according to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.