In April, 2003, the central government decided to launch a pilot project of modern distance education for rural party member cadres in Shandong, Hunan, Guizhou and Jinzhai counties. From the beginning of 2005 to the end of 2006, the pilot provinces were extended to Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Sichuan and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

At the beginning of 2007, on the basis of summarizing the pilot experience, it was decided to carry out this work in rural areas throughout the country. The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China wrote "Modern Distance Education for Cadres in Rural party member" into the report of the congress.

On July 4th, 2007, the General Office of the Central Committee of the CPC issued the Opinions on Developing Modern Distance Education for Cadres in Rural party member. Since then, modern distance education for party member cadres has been widely carried out in rural areas of China.