Young Delegates Rejuvenate Party

Young Party delegates have been displaying great enthusiasm for their mission to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China which opened on Thursday. These fresh faces are believed to energize the 91-year-old Party, the Beijing Times newspaper reported.

Two thousand, two hundred and seventy Party delegates, on average 52 years of age, are currently taking part in the seven-day congress in Beijing. Among them, 114 representatives are 35 or under and account for just 5 percent of the total.

Twenty-one-year-old Olympic gold medalist Jiao Liuyang is the youngest of them all. The girl joined the CPC in 2008 and represents the People's Liberation Army at the congress.

"Before I joined the Party, I felt that Party membership was just a title. Now I feel that it is more about responsibility," she said, "In the past few months, I have taken every opportunity to learn what rank-and-file soldiers and officers and athletes are expecting from cultural and sports undertakings. I will make my own modest contribution to boosting the army's cultural and sports undertakings."

Zhu Lijun, 31, is the youngest delegate of Beijing delegation. The Beijing native has worked as a safety guard for leisure, boating cruising at a public park for 13 years. This year is the first time that he attends a national congress. He said that from July onwards, he had enrolled in training courses to learn more about the obligations and regulations for Party delegates.

"Every delegate speaks on the behalf of his or her peers in a particular occupation [at the national congress]… I assume great responsibility and will try my best to do a good job," Zhu said.

Professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC Lin Zhe said that these aforementioned young delegates are accomplished professionals who come with broad vision, flexible and quick minds and a relentless pioneering spirit.

"The involvement of young delegates in politics marks a new era for the Party. Some of those accomplished young people will grow to become competent cadres and in the future may assume leadership positions, injecting fresh blood into the Party. This is a nice thing," Lin said.