The number of grassroots delegates to the upcoming 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) accounts for 30.5 percent of the total, up 2.1 percentage points from the congress five years ago.

The number of leading officials at different levels accounts for 69.5 percent of the total delegates, 2.1 percentage points lower than that of the previous congress.

Wang Haijun, an associate professor with the School of Marxism Studies of Renmin University of China, said that the rising number of delegates working at the very forefront of production gives greater say to grassroots Party members and mobilizes their initiatives.

On the other hand it demonstrates the resolve of the CPC Central Committee to have grassroots Party members play greater roles in Party issues, Wang said.

The number of grassroots delegates to the CPC National Congress has been on the rise during the past few congresses. At the 14th CPC National Congress in 1992, the percentages of grassroots delegates and leading officials were 22 percent and 78 percent, respectively, and at the 16th CPC National Congress, the numbers stood at 24.3 percent and 75.7 percent. At the 17th CPC National Congress, the share of grassroots delegates further rose to 28.4 percent.

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