Party theory learning app a hit in China

Learning Party theory through phone applications has apparently become a new trend in China, as Xuexiqiangguo, an educational application developed by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has been a hit on operating systems in China, including Apple’s IOS and Android platforms.

The application was made available online on January 1. It is not limited to CPC members.

The application provides access to xuexi.cn, a website run by the Publicity Department, and serves as an authoritative source for the public to learn Party theory, history, as well as the country’s current political and military affairs.

Data provided by Qimai Technology Limited, a Beijing-based application data analysis firm, on Thursday, shows that the application, which means “learning to build a strong country,” has topped the Apple’s Chinese free app chart since Tuesday.

This is not the first time for the app to take the top spot in the last 30 days, as it also received the most downloads from January 22 to 25, company data shows.

The Apple’s app store did not show the total number of downloads for the app, and the rating and comment functions were unavailable as of press time.

But the app’s Android version was downloaded 17.4 million times on the Huawei app store on Thursday, with an average rating of 4 out of 5.

The government website of the eastern Chinese city of Weihai said that as of February 12, 183,000 residents in the city have registered with the app.

And as of January 10, more than 360,000 CPC members in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have been using the application, according to Xinjiang Daily.

The application also has a pointing system to encourage use and visits, which has caused a point comparison trend among users.

“We [My husband and I] compare points with each other every day, which has become a fun daily routine. Now I have got 990 points on it,” said Wang Qingling, a civil servant in Weihai, according to the Weihai government website.

Using the application requires the registration of users’ phone numbers, and also provides a social media application function, allowing users to add friends through phone numbers.

A quiz mode includes traditional Chinese poetry, and important Party knowledge such as materials released at the 19th National Congress of the CPC.

The application also provides updates on Chinese leaders’ interactions with their international counterparts and key speeches and reforms.