BEIJING, June 5 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping's right hand man, Cai Qi, has been appointed as head of the elite Central Party School, a move ******* ysts say cements his position as perhaps Xi's closest ally now entrusted with almost the entire communist party portfolio.
The 70-year old Xi loyalist attended a graduation ceremony at the school as its head publicly for the first time on Friday, according to footage shown on state broadcaster CCTV.
"With this appointment, he combines the Party's organizational, doctrinal, and administrative functions under one Standing Committee member," said Jean Christopher Mittelstaedt, professor of modern Chinese studies at the University of Zurich.
"I don't think there's a precedent for that," he said.
Cai, heading the Communist Party Central Committee's General Office among his other intraparty posts, is Xi's de facto chief of staff. And as part of the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, he is among the handful of most powerful officials in China.
The 70-year old Xi loyalist attended a graduation ceremony at the school as its head publicly for the first time on Friday, according to footage shown on state broadcaster CCTV.
"With this appointment, he combines the Party's organizational, doctrinal, and administrative functions under one Standing Committee member," said Jean Christopher Mittelstaedt, professor of modern Chinese studies at the University of Zurich.
"I don't think there's a precedent for that," he said.
Cai, heading the Communist Party Central Committee's General Office among his other intraparty posts, is Xi's de facto chief of staff. And as part of the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, he is among the handful of most powerful officials in China.
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