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Cai Qi

The latest news on Cai Qi, Chinese politican and Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party, including political news and updates.

Born

5 Dec 1955

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Secretary of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China

Smoke rises from the site of an explosion at a steel factory in Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region in north China on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua via AP

Accidents and disasters in China

Death toll rises to 9 after explosion at north China rare earth steel plant

The safety practices of Baotou Steel Group, the factory’s owner, have frequently come under criticism from authorities.

20 Jan 2026 - 8:40PM

China’s Communist Party

China’s ideology chief calls on propaganda officials to focus on the economy

6 Jan 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

China's population

China to cover childbirth costs for all in latest bid to avert population crisis

15 Dec 2025 - 11:23AMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Xi taps Hu Yaobang’s legacy to rally Communist Party to ‘crack hard nuts’

On anniversary of Hu’s birth, Chinese president pays tribute to Hu’s idealism and pursuit of reform.

20 Nov 2025 - 9:32PM

Late Communist Party chief Hu Yaobang (1915 - 1989) was an advocate of reform and opening up. Photo: Getty

China’s Communist Party

Communist Party discipline key to meeting China’s 5-year plan goals: Cai Qi

‘Self-governance’ is essential if the country is to tackle challenges and opportunities, ideology chief says.

3 Nov 2025 - 5:22PMvideocam

US-China relations

‘Amazing’ praise: Xi and Trump thaw summit ice with loads of warmth

Amid a bruising trade war, the two leaders rekindle friendly tone ahead of their first face-to-face encounter in six years.

30 Oct 2025 - 11:02PMvideocam

Science

China bids farewell to Nobel Prize-winning physicist Chen-ning Yang

President Xi Jinping sends a wreath to commemorate the late professor, who died in Beijing at the age of 103 last week.

25 Oct 2025 - 5:17PM

Chen-ning Yang, shown here in 2017, has been described as one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century. Photo: Imaginechina

China-North Korea relations

China, North Korea pledge ‘dynamic development’ as Li Qiang, Kim Jong-un meet

Trip to Pyongyang by Beijing’s No 2 official is the latest in a series of high-level exchanges between the two nations in recent weeks.

10 Oct 2025 - 5:03PMvideocam

Xinjiang

China’s ethnic affairs chief hails Xinjiang policies in Xi’s ‘new era’

Speech in Urumqi comes at the end of the first trip by a Chinese president to the autonomous region for its anniversary.

26 Sep 2025 - 2:16AMvideocam

Tibet

Editorial | Xi’s visit to Tibet heralds new era of China’s development

President’s remarks in Lhasa underline the high importance Beijing attaches to stability while firmly opposing any attempts at separatism.

26 Aug 2025 - 7:15AM

Tibet

China’s top political adviser hails party leadership in Tibet anniversary speech

President Xi Jinping watches on from podium as Wang Huning addresses ceremony attended by more than 20,000.

21 Aug 2025 - 7:53PMvideocam

Tibet

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Tibet for landmark anniversary

Xi will attend events to mark 60 years since the establishment of the autonomous region.

21 Aug 2025 - 12:15AM

China’s economic stimulus

What does the Beidaihe guest list tell us about China’s economic priorities?

The invitees to the Communist Party’s annual summer getaway offer clues about Beijing’s priorities ahead of a crucial October meeting.

13 Aug 2025 - 11:31PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Beidaihe meeting signals start of summer break for China’s political elite

Xi Jinping’s chief of staff hosts dozens of Chinese academics and scientists in the coastal resort town.

4 Aug 2025 - 5:05PMvideocam

Senior Communist Party official Cai Qi hosted prominent scientists and academics on summer at Beidaihe seaside resort in north Hebei province on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Communist Party

China names Zhejiang-born Ling Zhifeng to head the Special Service Bureau

Ling, 56, has been promoted to vice-minister overseeing an agency responsible for the security of senior officials.

23 Jul 2025 - 7:00PM

Ling Zhifeng will head the Special Service Bureau, an agency responsible for the security of senior officials. Photo: Handout

China’s Communist Party

New Communist Party rules hint Xi Jinping is delegating more power to deputies

New party rules aim to standardise policy coordination and strengthen decision-making at the top.

7 Jul 2025 - 3:44PM

China consumption

China’s Xi Jinping puts domestic market at forefront in high-profile meeting

Excessive competition, external uncertainty and other factors make need for ‘unified national market’ even more apparent, president says.

1 Jul 2025 - 8:00PM

Diplomacy

Xi boosts China ties in resource-rich Central Asia

A summit with five leaders from Central Asia offers President Xi Jinping the chance to snap up more raw materials for China’s economy in a region once viewed as Russia’s backyard.

17 Jun 2025 - 5:52PM

Central Asia

Xi Jinping heads to energy-rich Kazakhstan for China-Central Asia summit

Xi is looking to foster solidarity with his counterparts against unilateralism and protectionism.

17 Jun 2025 - 7:00PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

China is getting ready for a key meeting to discuss its next 5-year plan

President Xi Jinping says leadership is ‘organising the drafting of a proposal’, which will need to be endorsed at the fourth plenum.

25 May 2025 - 2:00PMvideocam

US-China trade war

For US-China trade stand-off to ease, negotiators must be agreed upon: analysts

As Washington is said to favour Trump dealing directly with Xi and Beijing rejects the idea as too risky, possible envoys are being explored.

3 May 2025 - 7:02AMvideocam

Advisers to Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump seek to break an impasse in bilateral trade issues. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

Xi’s chief of staff urges US executive to boost US-China ties at ‘crossroads’

Cai Qi, China’s No 5 official, holds rare meeting with influential American businessman John Thornton, who was granted unprecedented access to the country during Covid-19 era.

12 Apr 2024 - 9:00PM

American businessman John Thornton (left) meets Cai Qi, a Politburo Standing Committee member, in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Communist Party

Xi Jinping’s chief of staff is China’s new internet tsar, sources say

People familiar with the matter say Cai Qi has been appointed to head the Communist Party’s Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission.

28 Mar 2024 - 11:24PMvideocam

China's economic recovery

Win-win: China rolls out red carpet for foreign firms with charm offensive

Nearly all of China’s top-level officials responsible for economic affairs have met or have plans to meet with multinational executives amid Beijing’s push to revive confidence and lure foreign investment.

27 Mar 2024 - 9:22AM

China’s Communist Party

Reservations over China’s plan for private sector to kick-start economy

Despite top entrepreneurs’ chorus of support for 31-point action plan from Beijing, smaller business owners are ‘not sure it will make any difference’.

21 Aug 2023 - 1:50PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

China’s top leaders gather in Beidaihe, signalling start of summer break

Communist Party ideology chief Cai Qi gives speech in coastal resort while President Xi Jinping steps out of the spotlight, indicating top leaders have kicked off annual seaside retreat.

21 Aug 2023 - 1:50PM

Security is tight near Beidaihe, the seaside town where Chinese leaders have gathered since Chairman Mao Zedong set up a “summer office” there in the 1950s. Photo: Simon Song

Xi Jinping

Xi’s inner circle is getting ‘even tighter’ with powerful new chief of staff

Cai Qi is the most senior official in the job since the time of Mao Zedong, and the office he heads wields a great deal of influence.

21 Aug 2023 - 1:50PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

China’s No 5 official Cai Qi named President Xi Jinping’s new chief of staff

Cai Qi is the most senior official to become director of the General Office of the Central Committee since Mao Zedong’s time.

21 Mar 2023 - 6:26PM

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Cai Qi

Death toll rises to 9 after explosion at north China rare earth steel plant

The safety practices of Baotou Steel Group, the factory’s owner, have frequently come under criticism from authorities.

China’s ideology chief calls on propaganda officials to focus on the economy

China to cover childbirth costs for all in latest bid to avert population crisis

Xi taps Hu Yaobang’s legacy to rally Communist Party to ‘crack hard nuts’

On anniversary of Hu’s birth, Chinese president pays tribute to Hu’s idealism and pursuit of reform.

Communist Party discipline key to meeting China’s 5-year plan goals: Cai Qi

‘Self-governance’ is essential if the country is to tackle challenges and opportunities, ideology chief says.

‘Amazing’ praise: Xi and Trump thaw summit ice with loads of warmth

Amid a bruising trade war, the two leaders rekindle friendly tone ahead of their first face-to-face encounter in six years.

China bids farewell to Nobel Prize-winning physicist Chen-ning Yang

President Xi Jinping sends a wreath to commemorate the late professor, who died in Beijing at the age of 103 last week.

China, North Korea pledge ‘dynamic development’ as Li Qiang, Kim Jong-un meet

Trip to Pyongyang by Beijing’s No 2 official is the latest in a series of high-level exchanges between the two nations in recent weeks.

China’s ethnic affairs chief hails Xinjiang policies in Xi’s ‘new era’

Speech in Urumqi comes at the end of the first trip by a Chinese president to the autonomous region for its anniversary.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Editorial | Xi’s visit to Tibet heralds new era of China’s development

President’s remarks in Lhasa underline the high importance Beijing attaches to stability while firmly opposing any attempts at separatism.

China’s top political adviser hails party leadership in Tibet anniversary speech

President Xi Jinping watches on from podium as Wang Huning addresses ceremony attended by more than 20,000.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Tibet for landmark anniversary

Xi will attend events to mark 60 years since the establishment of the autonomous region.

What does the Beidaihe guest list tell us about China’s economic priorities?

The invitees to the Communist Party’s annual summer getaway offer clues about Beijing’s priorities ahead of a crucial October meeting.

Beidaihe meeting signals start of summer break for China’s political elite

Xi Jinping’s chief of staff hosts dozens of Chinese academics and scientists in the coastal resort town.

China names Zhejiang-born Ling Zhifeng to head the Special Service Bureau

Ling, 56, has been promoted to vice-minister overseeing an agency responsible for the security of senior officials.

New Communist Party rules hint Xi Jinping is delegating more power to deputies

New party rules aim to standardise policy coordination and strengthen decision-making at the top.

China’s Xi Jinping puts domestic market at forefront in high-profile meeting

Excessive competition, external uncertainty and other factors make need for ‘unified national market’ even more apparent, president says.

Xi boosts China ties in resource-rich Central Asia

A summit with five leaders from Central Asia offers President Xi Jinping the chance to snap up more raw materials for China’s economy in a region once viewed as Russia’s backyard.

Xi Jinping heads to energy-rich Kazakhstan for China-Central Asia summit

Xi is looking to foster solidarity with his counterparts against unilateralism and protectionism.

China is getting ready for a key meeting to discuss its next 5-year plan

President Xi Jinping says leadership is ‘organising the drafting of a proposal’, which will need to be endorsed at the fourth plenum.

For US-China trade stand-off to ease, negotiators must be agreed upon: analysts

As Washington is said to favour Trump dealing directly with Xi and Beijing rejects the idea as too risky, possible envoys are being explored.

Xi’s chief of staff urges US executive to boost US-China ties at ‘crossroads’

Cai Qi, China’s No 5 official, holds rare meeting with influential American businessman John Thornton, who was granted unprecedented access to the country during Covid-19 era.

Xi Jinping’s chief of staff is China’s new internet tsar, sources say

People familiar with the matter say Cai Qi has been appointed to head the Communist Party’s Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission.

Win-win: China rolls out red carpet for foreign firms with charm offensive

Nearly all of China’s top-level officials responsible for economic affairs have met or have plans to meet with multinational executives amid Beijing’s push to revive confidence and lure foreign investment.

Reservations over China’s plan for private sector to kick-start economy

Despite top entrepreneurs’ chorus of support for 31-point action plan from Beijing, smaller business owners are ‘not sure it will make any difference’.

China’s top leaders gather in Beidaihe, signalling start of summer break

Communist Party ideology chief Cai Qi gives speech in coastal resort while President Xi Jinping steps out of the spotlight, indicating top leaders have kicked off annual seaside retreat.

Xi’s inner circle is getting ‘even tighter’ with powerful new chief of staff

Cai Qi is the most senior official in the job since the time of Mao Zedong, and the office he heads wields a great deal of influence.

China’s No 5 official Cai Qi named President Xi Jinping’s new chief of staff

Cai Qi is the most senior official to become director of the General Office of the Central Committee since Mao Zedong’s time.

Editorial | Xi’s visit to Tibet heralds new era of China’s development