Ding Xuexiang, ‘Xi’s most trusted aide’, joins party’s top decision-making body
- President’s personal secretary becomes youngest member of Politburo Standing Committee
- One expert says Ding’s age makes him a contender to succeed Xi in 10 years’ time
He was also part of the small entourages led by Xi to Hong Kong for the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of its handover in July, and Xi’s first trip outside of the country in two years, to Kazakhstan in September.
Despite lacking experience as a provincial party chief or governor, Ding, 60, director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China and Xi’s personal secretary, has made it to the seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, the party’s top echelon of power, and is its youngest member.
“Ding is Xi’s most trusted aide,” Neil Thomas, a senior analyst for China and Northeast Asia at the Eurasia Group said. “He accompanies Xi to virtually all of his official engagements and is responsible for managing his agendas, briefings and meetings. Perhaps no one has spent more time with Xi in the last five years.”
