Xi Jinping in BRICS Summit: Who are Cai Qi and Wang Yi, his two key aides in India?

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s return to New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit comes with two of the most influential figures in his political and foreign-policy establishment — Cai Qi and Wang Yi. Their presence alongside Xi assumes significance as India and China seek to stabilise bilateral ties after years of tensions.

At 70, Cai Qi is one of Xi’s closest political confidants and occupies a powerful position within the Communist Party of China (CPC). He is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and serves as director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, putting him at the centre of the party’s organisational and administrative machinery.

Reuters has described Cai as Xi’s “de facto chief of staff”, underlining his proximity to the Chinese president and his role in coordinating the party apparatus around Xi.

Cai and Xi have longstanding political ties dating back to their overlapping careers in Fujian and Zhejiang. His rise accelerated in 2017, when he joined the Politburo, the CPC’s second-highest decision-making body, as Xi began his second term as Communist Party leader.

Cai’s influence has expanded further in recent years. In June this year, he was appointed head of the CPC Central Party School and the National Academy of Governance, adding another important institutional responsibility to his portfolio.

His role at the BRICS Summit therefore extends beyond that of a senior Chinese official accompanying Xi. Cai is a key figure in Xi’s political establishment and plays an important role in the functioning of the party leadership.

Wang Yi: Beijing’s foreign-policy point man

Wang Yi, meanwhile, has been at the forefront of China’s foreign policy for more than a decade. Appointed foreign minister in 2013, he has remained one of Beijing’s most prominent interlocutors with the international community.

The 72-year-old currently holds three major positions: he is 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.

A native of Beijing, Wang joined the CPC in May 1981. His long tenure at the top of China’s foreign-policy establishment has made him a central figure in Beijing’s engagement with major powers and international groupings.

A 2022 New York Times profile described Wang as a “campaigner” for Xi Jinping’s “global ambitions”, reflecting his prominent role in advancing Beijing’s foreign-policy agenda.

With Xi expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, Wang’s presence could be particularly significant given his central role in China’s diplomatic establishment.

Together, Cai and Wang represent two critical pillars of Xi’s leadership — party and political administration on one side, and foreign policy on the other — as Beijing seeks to manage its engagement with New Delhi at a sensitive stage in bilateral ties.