Chinese President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has sent personal congratulations to veteran actor You Benchang, who formally joined the Communist Party of China at the age of 92. According to Xinhua, Xi asked the Party’s Organization Department to pass on his regards, calling the actor’s long-held faith in the Party “heart-warming.” You, born in 1933 and celebrated nationwide for his portrayal of the folk hero monk Ji Gong in the 1980s television series of the same name, was accepted as a probationary party member in May after submitting his application early last year. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles at the 32nd China TV Golden Eagle Awards in 2024. Xi urged You to serve as a model for other artists and cultural professionals and to contribute to Beijing’s drive to build China into what the leadership calls a leading cultural power. The actor’s admission comes as the CPC reported total membership of 100.3 million at the end of 2024, an increase of 1.1 million, underscoring the continuing appeal of party affiliation across a broad spectrum of Chinese society.