Chongqing - In 2026, the Communist Party of China (CPC) marks its 105th anniversary. In China, primary-level organizations of the CPC are often described as the CPC’s “last-mile” connection with the people. But how do they function, and how do residents experience their services and functions in daily life?

According to Zheng Changzhong, Professor at Fudan University, one of their core roles is to act as the leading organizers of local development. In villages, primary-level CPC organizations may help coordinate local industries and improve basic infrastructure. In urban communities, they help bring together resources to support convenience services and community co-governance.

“They serve as convenient service outlets in the communities,” Zheng added. 

Through CPC mass service centers, primary-level CPC organizations help residents access elderly care support, after-school care, hardship assistance, employment counseling, and policy information. They also mobilize CPC members and local volunteers to visit seniors living alone, persons with disabilities, and other residents who need additional support.

Then, primary-level CPC organizations also play a coordinating role when conflicts emerge. Property disputes, renovation of old residential compounds, parking management, and neighborhood disputes often require consultation among residents, property managers, subdistrict offices, and relevant departments. 

These organizations are the ones that help convene such discussions to develop workable community solutions. “They act as a coordination hub for many community challenges,” Zheng said.

And their role becomes more immediate during emergencies. 

In cases of heavy rain, fires, public health emergencies, or geological disasters, primary-level CPC organizations help organize CPC members and volunteers for evacuation, supply delivery, and temporary resettlement, opening channels for grassroots response.

(Wanqing Lu, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)