The number of Party delegates from the private sector, excluding ordinary workers, has doubled from 17 in the 17th Party Congress to 34 in the 18th Party Congress.

The Party started assimilating private entrepreneurs in 2001. In the following year, the 16th Party Congress elected 7 entrepreneurs as Party delegates.

The election was interpreted then as a landmark move indicating that the Party holds an open attitude towards the private economy.

Five years later, 17 private entrepreneurs were elected as Party delegates. The number expanded to 34 this year.

"The expansion has shown the importance that the Communist Party of China attaches to the private economy. This allowed more and more private entrepreneurs to get the chance to participate in the highest decision making event of the Party," said Wang Yukai, a professor with the Chinese Academy of Governance.