New social strata

In 2016, the United Front Work Department (UFWD) established a functional department responsible for the work of people from new social strata.^[1] December 2020 UFWD regulations defines new social strata as a separate aspect of the united front.^[2] At the Central United Front Work Conference held on July 29–30, 2022, Xi Jinping said, “We must do a good job in the united front work among non-Party intellectuals and new social strata.”^[3]

The “new social strata” mainly include four groups:^[4]

• Managers and technical personnel of private and foreign-invested enterprises
• Social organization practitioners
• Freelancers
• New media practitioners

According to a 2021 survey, the total number of people in the new social strata in China was about 91 million, an increase of about 19 million compared to 2016, representing a 5-year increase of 26.3%.^[2]