(Photo: Qingdaonews.com)

Members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Qingyang town, Binzhou city, in East China's Shandong Province appear to be first to be required to take loyalty tests using virtual reality (VR) gear.
The test of dangxing, literally meaning Party spirit, refers to the qualifications a Party member must have, including loyalty to the CPC, willingness to contribute to the people and the Party, and being a moral role model.
Party members in Qingyang were required to wear VR headsets, hold a remote control and enter a virtual room to conduct the test of almost 30 questions, the news website, binzhouw.com reported Wednesday.
 The test included questions on Party theory, Party members' daily life and their understanding of the Party's "pioneering role."
Party members were asked questions like "Do you agree that if you are not corrupt you will be marginalized?"
The correct answer in the five-part multiple choice question is "no."
The test results were said to determine Party members' weak point, and they could then receive a consultation from experts of the Party schools of Binzhou and Qingyang, who provided face-to-face or remote counseling and guidance, binzhouw.com reported.
Such VR testing needs a more scientific basis to affirm the reliability of the test results, Cai Zhiqiang, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Dangxing tests should be used to find out how to enhance  CPC members' political quality and their capabilities to serve the people, and also how to promote local development, said Cai.
A party member in Qingyang was quoted by binzhouw.com as saying that his knowledge of the Party theory has been enhanced after the VR tests.
The VR testing facility was installed in a local Party service center. The center cost 700,000 yuan ($110,082) and came into service in April 2018, according to the report from binzhouw.com.
Local economic conditions should be considered in terms of evaluating if a VR test facility is a waste of money, Cai said.
Previously, a Shenzhen-based company developed a VR museum, showcasing Party construction in 2017, which included articles, photos, and videos about Party history and anti-corruption.