BEIJING - The 18th CPC National Congress is being held in Beijing. Here are some basic facts about the CPC:

Q: How can one become a CPC member?

A: According to the CPC Constitution amended and adopted in 2007, any Chinese worker, farmer, member of the armed forces, intellectual or any advanced element of other social strata who has reached the age of 18 and who accepts the Party's program and Constitution and is willing to join and work actively in one of the Party organizations, carry out the Party's resolutions and pay membership dues regularly may apply for membership in the Communist Party of China.

New Party members must be admitted through a Party branch, and the principle of individual admission must be adhered to.

An applicant for Party membership must fill out an application form and be recommended by two full Party members. The application must be accepted at a general membership meeting of the Party branch concerned and approved by the next higher Party organization, and the applicant must undergo observation for a probationary period before being granted full membership.

Party members who recommend an applicant must make genuine efforts to acquaint themselves with the applicant's ideology, character, personal record and work performance and explain to each applicant the Party's program and Constitution, qualifications for membership and the duties and rights of members, and must make a responsible report to the Party organization on the matter.

The Party branch committee must canvass the opinions of persons concerned, inside and outside the Party, about an applicant for Party membership and, after establishing the latter's qualification through rigorous examination, submit the application to a general membership meeting for discussion.

Before approving the admission of applicants for Party membership, the next higher Party organization concerned must appoint people to talk with them, in order to get to know them better and help deepen their understanding of the Party.

In special circumstances, the Central Committee of the Party or the Party committee of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central government may admit new Party members directly.