BEIJING, June 18 (Reuters) - China officially appointed its fifth-ranked leader Cai Qi as head of the Communist Party's central ideology school, cementing his position as one of President Xi Jinping's closest and most trusted confidants.
Cai became part of the party's seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, China's pinnacle of political power overseen by Xi, in 2022. Cai is also director of the party's General Office, making him Xi's de facto chief of staff.
China's two most recent leaders, Xi and Hu Jintao, had both served as head of the elite Central Party School before ascending to the top leadership position.
By taking the helm of the top party school, Cai, 70, unites the party's organisational, doctrinal and administrative apparatus under a single Standing Committee member — a rare concentration of power.
Cai replaced Chen Xi, 72, as the new president of the National Academy of Governance, the human resources ministry announced on Thursday.
Cai became part of the party's seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, China's pinnacle of political power overseen by Xi, in 2022. Cai is also director of the party's General Office, making him Xi's de facto chief of staff.
China's two most recent leaders, Xi and Hu Jintao, had both served as head of the elite Central Party School before ascending to the top leadership position.
By taking the helm of the top party school, Cai, 70, unites the party's organisational, doctrinal and administrative apparatus under a single Standing Committee member — a rare concentration of power.
Cai replaced Chen Xi, 72, as the new president of the National Academy of Governance, the human resources ministry announced on Thursday.
3 months ago
