Li Keqiang

Li Keqiang was a Chinese economist and politician who served as the premier of the People's Republic of China from 2013 to 2023. He was also the second-ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2012 to 2022. Li was once tipped to be the country's future leader but was overtaken by President Xi Jinping. A trained economist, he held the second highest-ranked position in China, though in recent years, he was widely isolated amongst China's top leadership. He was the only incumbent top official who didn't belong to Mr Xi's loyalists group. Li's death means the loss of a prominent moderating voice within the senior levels of the CCP, with no one apparently being able to take over the mantle. This probably means even less restraint on Mr Xi's exercise of power and authority. Li was born in July 1955 in Dingyuan County in eastern China's Anhui province. He grew up in a modest family and his father was a local official. His formal schooling was interrupted in 1974–78 during the latter part of the Cultural Revolution and early stages of the reform era. He joined the CCP in 1976 and became a member of the Communist Youth League (CYL), which was a training ground for future leaders. He studied law and economics at Peking University, where he became the CYL secretary and befriended Hu Jintao, who later became his mentor and patron. He obtained his PhD in economics in 1994 under the supervision of Li Yining, a prominent reformist economist. Li rose through the party ranks, becoming the youngest provincial governor in China and later earning a spot in the top echelon of the party's central leadership, the Politburo Standing Committee. At one point there was speculation that he would be groomed to succeed Mr Hu as the paramount leader of China. He was widely considered to be Mr Hu's protégé and was the last appointee of the Hu administration to remain on the Politburo Standing Committee before he stepped down in March 2023. He served as the first vice premier from 2008 to 2013, overseeing economic and social affairs. He also led several leading groups on health care reform, water transfer project, and the Three Gorges Dam project. He became the premier in 2013, succeeding Wen Jiabao. As the premier, he was responsible for the government administration and economic management. He advocated for market-oriented reforms, innovation, and environmental protection. He also promoted the Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure and trade project initiated by Mr Xi. He visited more than 60 countries during his tenure and maintained good relations with many foreign leaders. He was also the vice chairman of the National Security Commission and the chairman of several other commissions on public sector reform, national defense mobilization, energy, and institutional organization. Li was known as one of the smartest political figures of his generation. He was accepted into the prestigious Peking University Law School soon after the universities were reopened following Mao's Cultural Revolution during which millions of people are believed to have died. He is best known outside of China for the Li Keqiang index, a term coined by The Economist as an informal measurement of China's economic progress. He was also known for his pragmatic and down-to-earth style. He often visited grassroots communities and disaster areas to show his concern and support. He was also seen as a moderate and conciliatory voice within the CCP, especially on issues such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and human rights. He was respected by many intellectuals and reformists for his openness and tolerance. Li died of a sudden heart attack on 27 October 2023 in Shanghai, where he was attending a meeting. He was 68 years old. His death was widely mourned on Chinese social media, with many expressing shock and grief. State media also praised his contribution to the CCP and the country. He was buried in Fuxing Park Cemetery in Shanghai, where many other prominent figures of the CCP are also laid to rest. He is survived by his wife Cheng Hong, a professor of English literature, and his daughter, who works in the financial sector.