Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for the 18th BRICS Summit. He is accompanied by Cai Qi, a prominent political figure, and Wang Yi, a key player in China’s foreign policy. This summit marks a significant moment for international diplomacy as BRICS nations engage in discussions on global economic cooperation and political alignment.
Cai, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, is one of Xi’s closest confidants. Wang, China’s foreign minister, has been at the centre of Beijing’s foreign policy for more than a decade.
At 70, Cai occupies a key position in the ruling party’s organisational and administrative machinery and is among Chinese President Xi Jinping’s closest political allies. Appointed foreign minister in 2013, Wang has remained a prominent figure in China’s engagement with the world and currently holds several key positions within the country’s political and foreign policy establishment.
Reuters has described Cai as Xi’s “de facto chief of staff” and one of the Chinese president’s closest confidants. Their presence alongside Xi assumes significance as the Chinese president returns to India after seven years, at a time when New Delhi and Beijing are cautiously working to stabilise ties after years of tensions. The Chinese premiere is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit. As director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, he oversees a powerful party apparatus and plays a central role in Xi’s administration. Wang is currently a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and minister of foreign affairs.
