PM Modi on Sunday met Cai Qi, the director of the CCP General Office, which makes him the de facto chief of staff to CCP General Secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
India-China relations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Cai Qi, the Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), after holding bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in China’s Tianjin city on Sunday.
However, Modi’s meeting with Cai Qi has garnered more attention than his bilateral summit with the Chinese President because Qi is one of the seven members of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee– China’s most powerful decision-making body– who rarely meets foreign leaders, and usually works behind the scenes.
Who is Cai Qi?
Cai Qi, the current first-ranked member of the Secretariat of the CCP, and the fifth-ranking member of the powerful seven-member CCP Politburo Standing Committee, serves as the director of the CCP General Office, essentially making the de facto chief of staff to CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping, who also serves as the President of China.
While Qi’s official role as the director of the CCP General Office is generally not visible, it is indeed extremely important as his office plays a vital role in shaping the country’s foreign policy.
Why PM Modi’s meeting with Cai Qi is important?
The CCP General Office is considered the party’s central command, tasked with disseminating decisions made by the Politburo Standing Committee, managing the leader’s schedule, overseeing paperwork, and most importantly, ensuring that Xi Jinping’s instructions are implemented across all ministries and provinces.
Cai Qi, as the director of the General Office, and one of the seven members of the Politburo, wields considerable influence in China’s policy making, and could play a key role in building closer ties with India.
Additionally, Qi is considered a trusted close-aide of Xi Jinping, as both leaders have closely worked together in Fujian and Zhejiang. Cai Qi has also served as the CCP’s Beijing chief, and oversaw the 2022 Winter Olympics. Qi’s close ties with Xi means he has the power to influence the China President to improve relations with any country, including India.
What did PM Modi and Cai Qi discuss?
According to Chinese state media, the talks between PM Modi and Cai Qi focused on strengthening India-China cooperation and deepening bilateral political engagement.
PM Modi ‘shared his vision for the relationship’, while Cai promised to increase exchanges with Xi Jinping ‘in line with leader-level consensus’, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Earlier, PM Modi held a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which he emphasised New Delhi’s commitment of taking the India-China relations forward, based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity, the statement said.
HIGHLIGHTS
- PM Modi met Cai Qi, director of the CCP General Office, on the sidelines of the SCO summit on Sunday.
- PM Modi and Cai Qi focused on strengthening India-China cooperation.
- Cai Qi, a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee, is one of the most powerful political figures in China.
- Earlier, PM Modi held a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Meanwhile, in his meeting with Xi Jinping, Modi stressed the importance of “strategic autonomy” for both India and China, while Chinese President batted for realizing a ‘multipolar world’, the MEA said.
