More than 114,000 people joined the Communist Party of Vietnam last year, an increase of 7.25 percent over 1998, the local press reported on January 22.

This is the highest growth rate the party had recorded since 1986, boosting its membership to 2.314 million.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union made up 50.05 percent of the new members while 32.5 percent were women, 11.2 percent peopleof ethnic minorities, 18.7 percent members of the armed forces, 22.5 percent peasants and 10.9 percent workers.

Most of the new members, 79.3 percent, have obtained secondary school education and upwards, with 45 percent holding graduate and post graduate degrees.

Between 1996 and 1998, the party has punished 60,108 members, expelled 11,164 others and initiated legal proceedings against 1,108.