When Xi Jinping left China for the first time in more than two years to visit Central Asia last month, his entourage included a familiar face from domestic trips.
Alongside China's top diplomats was Ding Xuexiang, who has risen from Communist Party cadre in Shanghai to become Xi's private secretary and gatekeeper.
"What really stands out about Ding Xuexiang is that he has probably spent more time with Xi Jinping than any other official over the past five years," said Neil Thomas, a senior analyst for China and Northeast Asia at the Eurasia Group. He later moved through roles in the Shanghai party committee, where his political star rose after becoming top aide to Xi when the future leader moved to the Chinese commercial capital in 2007 and spent eight months as party secretary.
He eventually succeeded the General Office's then-head, Li Zhanshu, who is currently China's top legislator and at 72 is expected to retire from the Standing Committee.
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