Li Keqiang

Li Keqiang (Chinese: 李克强; pinyin: Lǐ Kèqiáng; 3 July 1955 – 27 October 2023) was a Chinese politician and economist. He served as Premier of China from 2013 to 2023 and was an important leader in the Chinese Communist Party.

Li was born in Hefei, Anhui province. He worked his way up through the Communist Youth League of China and became a key figure in Chinese politics.

During his time as premier, Li focused on changing China's economy. He wanted to move away from just selling goods to other countries and encouraged people in China to buy more goods themselves. He helped create the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone and supported new ideas and inventions. Li was known for his knowledge of economics.

Li stepped down from his leadership roles in 2022 and 2023. He died in October 2023.

Early life and education

Li Keqiang was born on July 3, 1955, in Dingyuan County, near Hefei in Anhui province. His father worked as a local official. After high school in 1974, Li worked in a village in Fengyang County, Anhui. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1976 and became a leader in his work group.

Li chose to study at Peking University Law School in 1978. He became president of the student council and studied Western politics. He helped translate books about law from English to Chinese, finishing his law degree in 1982.

Later, Li studied economics at Peking University, earning a master’s and a doctorate. He became a leader in the Communist Youth League of China in 1993, serving until 1998. He started a program to send young volunteers to help with education, community projects, and the environment.

Provincial tenures

Henan (1998–2004)

Li became the youngest governor of a Chinese province in June 1998 when he was appointed governor of Henan at the age of 43. He also served as Henan's Deputy Party Secretary. Li focused on work and avoided events not related to government activities. During his time as governor, he worked to improve the economy in Henan, making it a good place for businesses to invest. He traveled around the province to find ways to solve problems. In 2002, he became the leader of the Henan Provincial Party Committee, and by 2004, Henan had moved up in the national rankings for economic strength.

Liaoning (2004–2007)

In December 2004, Li moved to work as the Party secretary of Liaoning. There, he started a project called the "Five Points and One Line," connecting several ports to improve trade. In 2005, he set a goal to improve living conditions in poor areas of the province within three years, working with the central government. This effort removed a large amount of old housing by 2007 and helped him gain support from people. Li also created an economic measure called the "Li Keqiang index" to better understand the economy, using data like train cargo, electricity use, and bank loans instead of just total economic numbers.

Vice premiership (2008–2013)

See also: Hu–Wen Administration

Li became a member of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee in 2007. He was expected to become the next leader of China, but Xi Jinping was chosen instead. In 2008, Li became the first-ranking vice premier. In this role, Li was in charge of important areas like the economy, government budgets, land, resources, the environment, and health. He also oversaw big projects like the Three Gorges Dam and the South–North Water Transfer Project.

In 2008, Li helped create an economic stimulus program to support China’s economy after natural disasters and a worldwide financial problem. He spoke at an important meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in 2010, sharing China’s plans for a better future. These plans included using more green energy and making sure everyone had fair chances. Li also talked about changing China’s economy to keep growing, focusing on helping more people become middle class and improving things like healthcare.

Premiership (2013–2023)

Main articles: 12th State Council of China and 13th State Council of China

Li became an important leader in China after a big meeting in November 2012. He was chosen to lead the government in March 2013. He wanted to make government rules simpler, share money better, and help the economy grow. Li believed China should grow by selling more products.

Domestic policy

As leader, Li worked on many important issues. He visited areas that had earthquakes to help people. He talked about ways to keep people healthy and safe. Li started groups to help different parts of China grow. He opened special areas to help trade and business. He also focused on making sure people had jobs and the economy stayed strong. Li visited many places in China to check on projects and talk to people.

Economy

Li believed in using good information to make decisions. When he started, China had some money problems. Li worked to reduce debt and change the economy to grow in new ways. He thought bigger cities would help the economy. He encouraged new ideas, like online shopping, to create jobs. He also cut taxes to help businesses and people.

Bureaucracy

Li did not like unnecessary rules and paperwork. He wanted government workers to be more helpful and less strict.

COVID-19

Starting in 2020, Li led China’s efforts to handle a big health problem. He visited the place where it started to organize help. He talked about focusing on jobs and the economy while keeping people safe. He also talked about being open and honest about health issues.

Foreign affairs

Li visited many countries to talk about friendship and trade. He went to India, Switzerland, Germany, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He met leaders like the president of India and leaders of European countries. In 2015, he even took a picture with the leader of India at a famous place in Beijing.

Post-premiership (2023)

Li Keqiang said in March 2022 that he would leave his job as premier of China in March 2023. In October 2022, he left an important party group. His time as premier ended on March 11, 2023, and Li Qiang took his place.

After leaving his job in March 2023, Li visited the Mogao Caves in Gansu in August 2023. This was his first public appearance after leaving his job and his last before he passed away.

Death

Main article: Death of Li Keqiang

Li Keqiang passed away at the age of 68 on 27 October 2023 after a heart problem. He was in a hospital in Pudong when it happened.

A memorial service was held later, and many important leaders attended. Flags were lowered in many places in China in his honor. An article published later praised his work and service to the country.

Personal life

Li was married to Cheng Hong, a teacher who studied English literature, especially American stories, at a university in Beijing. He could speak both Chinese and English well. His father-in-law had an important job helping young people in China.

Political views

Li Keqiang supported changes to improve the economy and make it more open. He was a practical leader who focused on solving problems. In August 2022, he spoke in Shenzhen about how Deng Xiaoping helped improve China’s economy, but the speech was later removed by the government. A former classmate, Wang Juntao, said Li was very interested in changing how the government works.

Economy

In February 2012, Li wrote that China’s economy didn’t rely enough on people buying things. He suggested ways to help people earn better wages, such as raising salaries, improving safety nets, offering business help, supporting affordable housing, and making healthcare more reachable for everyone.

Awards and honors

Li Keqiang received many awards and honors from different countries. In 2014, he was given the Gold Medal of the Hellenic Parliament by Greece. In 2013, he received the Nishan-e-Pakistan award from Pakistan.

Publications

Li Keqiang worked with other writers to create a book in December 2018. The book is called The Strategic Choice for China's Prosperity. It was translated into English and published in Singapore.