BRICS Summit: Who Is Cai Qi, The Powerful Xi Aide In China’s Delegation To India?

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 67-member delegation for the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi includes Cai Qi, one of the most powerful figures in China’s Communist Party and among Xi’s closest political aides.

Xi is visiting India on September 12-13 for the BRICS summit, his first trip to the country in seven years. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also part of the delegation, according to The Times of India.

Cai’s presence is significant as New Delhi and Beijing seek to stabilise ties after years of tensions following the 2020 border clash.

Who Is Cai Qi?

Cai, 70, is ranked fifth in China’s seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, the Communist Party’s highest decision-making body. He is also the first-ranking member of the CPC Secretariat and heads the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, which handles key administrative and coordination functions for the party leadership.

Cai joined the Politburo Standing Committee in 2022, when Xi began his third term as Communist Party chief.

His political association with Xi dates back decades, with the two working in Fujian and Zhejiang. Cai subsequently rose through senior party positions, becoming one of Xi’s most trusted political allies.

In June this year, Cai also took charge of the Central Party School, which trains senior Communist Party officials and plays a key role in political education and ideological work.

Reuters reported that his appointment further consolidated organisational, ideological and administrative functions under Cai. He also became president of the National Academy of Governance, replacing Chen Xi.

Why Cai’s India Visit Matters

Cai’s inclusion in Xi’s delegation places a senior member of China’s top leadership at the centre of the president’s engagement with India and other BRICS members.

Xi is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit as the two countries work to maintain a recent diplomatic thaw following years of friction over the border and other bilateral issues.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks in Beijing last month on the boundary dispute and broader bilateral ties. The two sides have also discussed steps towards advancing border delimitation and improving management of the frontier.

Cai’s responsibilities extend beyond administrative coordination. As head of the Central Party School and National Academy of Governance, he is closely involved in the training of senior officials and the Communist Party’s ideological framework.

Cai entered the 25-member Politburo in 2017 and joined the seven-member Standing Committee five years later. His continued proximity to Xi and rapid rise through the party hierarchy have made him a key figure in China’s top leadership.

His presence in New Delhi is therefore likely to be closely watched as Modi and Xi seek to consolidate the recent improvement in India-China relations.