Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping attends the graduation ceremony of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee July 16, 2009. The ceremony marked the graduation of 744 Party officials from the Central Party School and more than 2,800 graduates from the school's branches.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping attended Thursday the graduation ceremony of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and conferred certificates on graduates of the spring semester.

Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, is President of the school.

The ceremony marked the graduation of 744 Party officials from the Central Party School and more than 2,800 graduates from the school's branches.

The Party School of the CPC Central Committee is the highest institution for training high- and middle-ranking party officials and Maxist theoreticians. The School's history dates back to the school of Marxism and Communism set up in March 1933.

The graduates said that during the study they had exchanged working experiences with each other and the education had strengthened their political belief.

Politburo member and director of the CPC Central Committee Organization Department Li Yuanchao and several other high-ranking party officials also attended the graduation ceremony.