Life of the party: what does it mean to be a CCP member?

China’s Communist Party boasts more than 99 million members. But quantity doesn’t mean quality—and Xi Jinping has been trying to root out weak members. Jiehao Chen, The Economist’s China researcher and Drum Tower producer, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent in Beijing, examine what it means to belong to the CCP in today’s China—and how that is changing. Plus, what do America’s China hawks get wrong about the party’s members? Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.