Cai Appointed to Oversee Top Officials' Training at Party School

Cai, 70, a longstanding aide to Chinese leader Xi, has been appointed to oversee the training of top Communist Party officials at the party school, according to a state broadcaster report on Friday. This move further solidifies Xi’s grip on the party’s leadership. Cai and Xi have collaborated since the 1980s in Fujian province and later in Zhejiang in the 2000s when Xi held various leadership positions. Cai currently sits on the elite Politburo Standing Committee, serves as secretary of the party’s secretariat, and directs the party’s general office. His new role at the party school will involve training and selecting future high-ranking officials, indicating a deeper consolidation of power under Xi’s leadership.

The announcement was made public through state broadcaster CCTV’s coverage of a graduation ceremony at the party school. Details of the ceremony and the timing of Cai’s appointment were not specified, but the move is seen as significant in reinforcing Xi’s influence over the party’s inner workings. Cai’s decades-long association with Xi underscores his loyalty and position as one of Xi’s closest allies within the party hierarchy.