Cai Qi, born in Youxi county, Fujian province, began his professional career in March, 1975 and joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in August the same year. He obtained an on-job postgraduate degree and a PhD in economics.
Cai is currently the deputy secretary of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, the acting mayor of Beijing and the secretary of the Party Leadership Group of Beijing.
Cai has worked in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in South China.
In Fujian province, he served as the mayor of Sanming City and deputy secretary of the Sanming Municipal Party Committee.
In Zhejiang province, he served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Quzhou Municipal Committee, acting mayor of Quzhou City, mayor of Hangzhou and Taizhou City, a member of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Minister of the Organization Department of the Party Committee of Zhejiang Province, and vice governor of Zhejiang Province.
In March of 2014, he was appointed to the National Security Council Office as vice director. On October 31, 2016, he was designated acting mayor of Beijing and deputy secretary of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee at the first session of the 30th Meeting of the 14th Beijing Municipal People's Congress.