Beijing, August 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
China’s ruling Communist Party is witnessing its slowest membership growth in at least five years while the average age of its members continues to rise, reflecting broader demographic challenges facing the country, according to a report citing official data.
Figures released by the Communist Party’s Organisation Department show that party membership reached 101 million by the end of 2025, marking an annual increase of just one per cent. The report noted that the pace of expansion has been slowing since 2021.
The data also indicates a steadily ageing membership. Nearly 30 per cent of party members are now aged 61 years or above, the highest proportion recorded in at least five years. In contrast, members aged 35 years and below account for only 22 per cent of the total, down from nearly one-fourth in 2021.
According to a report published by PML Daily, the trend persists despite efforts to induct younger members. More than 80 per cent of those admitted to the party in 2025 were below the age of 35. However, the report suggests that recruitment alone has not offset the effects of an ageing membership, longer life expectancy and a shrinking young population.
The report states that the party’s demographic profile mirrors China’s wider population trends. Years of declining birth rates, an ageing society and four consecutive years of overall population decline have reduced the proportion of younger citizens entering the workforce.
As a result, Communist Party members now represent 7.21 per cent of China’s population, compared with 6.85 per cent in 2021, a change attributed more to population decline than rapid party expansion.
Official data released in July by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs showed that 323.38 million people aged 60 years and above were living in the country by the end of 2025, accounting for 23 per cent of the total population. Those aged 65 years and above numbered 223.65 million, or 15.9 per cent of the population.
The ministry’s figures also placed the old-age dependency rate for people aged 65 and above at 23.1 per cent, while average life expectancy stood at 79.25 years, underscoring the long-term demographic pressures confronting the country.
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