From the Los Angeles Times:
The membership of the monopoly Communist Party that rules China is more idealistic, accomplished, creative, capable, earnest and truth-seeking than before, has greater faith, boasts improved capabilities and is of a higher quality.
That’s the party’s selfassessment outlined Thursday at the conclusion of an 18-month education campaign designed to “maintain the advanced nature of the party.” But don’t rely on its words alone. There’s also the polling data, which showed 97% approval from responding members of the party and general public…
This rosy view is not shared by everyone inside and outside the party, however, at a time of widespread and growing corruption, social unrest, land seizures and environmental degradation. [Full text]
See also the Xinhua report “CPC expels nearly 45,000 members last year.”