Analysts say tougher rules for electing delegates to the upcoming 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have intensified the competition to ensure the quality of delegates elected to represent the country's 82 million Party members.

Wang Jingqing, vice minister of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, Tuesday told a press conference that the Party for the first time has carried out a multi-candidate survey of the preliminary candidates.

The elimination rate in the multi-candidate election was raised to above 15 percent nationwide, higher than the two previous congresses.

Cai Zhiqiang, a professor on Party building with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, told the Global Times that the higher elimination rate has made the constituencies of the delegates more dynamic.

About 30.5 percent of the elected delegates, including 26 migrant workers, are from the grass-roots level, up 2.1 percentage points from the previous congress in 2007, Wang told the press conference.

Cheng Junrong, 34, who was from the first batch of migrant worker delegates ever elected in East China's Jiangsu Province, told the Global Times that he was surprised to be elected since he was competing with officials and factory managers.

This expands the groups elected to become delegates, which was formerly dominated by officials, said Cai.

Wang said that the election of the CPC Central Committee will also follow the multi-candidate election, but stopped short of revealing the elimination rate, which he said will be decided by the presidium of the congress.

The official also said he doesn't have the information regarding how many members will be elected to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau when responding to a question about whether the number will be reduced to seven.

Highlighting intra-Party democracy, Deng Shengming, spokesman for the Organization Department, said with 98 percent of Party members taking part, this year's election has seen a high participation rate, with local Party committees releasing the list of delegates through phone calls, mails and news media.

"The list of delegates isn't only available within the Party but also to the public. It has created a healthy interaction between the Party and the public through which the election can be monitored," Cai said.

But the Party can do more to specify, scientifically design and regulate the process to make the public more willing to participate in the Party's affairs, Cai said.

Wang said the congress will be held in the second half of this year, but didn't reveal the specific date.

At the congress, the delegates will discuss and decide on major Party issues and elect the new central leadership.