Zhang Minyu, a postgraduate and Party branch secretary at Peking University, says regular activities unite students and Party life is more diverse than it used to be.

Besides attending meetings to learn the latest political concepts, the branch will organize several themed events every semester, such as "red" song competitions and Party knowledge contests.

There are also small group activities from time to time, Zhang says, listing a recent bicycling trip some Party members took recently to visit the former residences of notable people who made contributions to the country - part of the 90th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Communist Party of China.

He adds every year a group of about 10 students will go to Shenmu county in Shaanxi province during the summer vacation to investigate how the 12-year free education system (covering the nine-year compulsory education period and three years in high school) is carried out there. The trip is sponsored by the school's social practice project fund.

"These activities not only make Party members bond with the organization, but appeal to other students, some of whom will then join the Party," Zhang says.

He says his Party branch also cooperates with a Youth League (aged 14-28) branch to conduct surveys on what non-Communists think about the Party.

"One of the open questions is, 'Please write down five Party members' names you know'. We found some non-Communists were thought to be Party members," Zhang says.

For Jiang Yang, a Party branch secretary at East China Normal University in Shanghai, Party activities can deepen students' knowledge of the Party by analyzing current affairs.

She arranges an event called "Let's say something about the Party", inviting probationary Party members and candidates to deliver speeches on social topics or historical events.

"Not all students are concerned about political issues. So when they prepare speeches, they can address something serious and important for the country. Listeners can learn useful information from their talks," Jiang says.

China Daily