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BEIJING, July 1-- Monday marks the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Across the country, various types of events -- book readings, concerts, visits to memorials, and renewing vows -- have been held to mark the occasion. Founded in 1921, the CPC has grown from a small party of about 50 members into the world's largest ruling party, with more than 90 million members. A brick-and-wood building on Xingye Road in Shanghai, where the CPC held its first national congress, has been packed with visitors in days leading to the anniversary. In 1921, delegates representing about 50 CPC members nationwide convened the first national congress in the building, though they later had to move to a boat on Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing of east China's Zhejiang Province due to harassment by local police. The historic building has been open to the public as a museum since 1952. Near Nanhu Lake, hundreds of members of the public gathered on a city square to present a chorus to wish the CPC a happy birthday. A relay run was held on Monday to commemorate the occasion. Zhang Xianyi, the curator of the Nanhu Lake Revolution Museum, said the museum has become increasingly popular. On average, 11,000 people visit the museum and the boat every day. Last year, over 1.25 million people paid visits to the sites, he said. Also on Monday, Li Jian, deputy manager-in-general of a private electronics maker in Zhengzhou, capital city of central Henan Province, had a new title. He was elected as head of a seven-member CPC branch in the company. | 
