Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang died Thursday at age 68 of a heart attack, state media reported.
Li, who served as prime minister between 2012 and March this year, suffered a heart attack on Thursday and, “despite all efforts to save him, died at 0:10 a.m. on October 27 (5:10 p.m. on Thursday in Lisbon). “reported broadcaster CCTV.
Details about the politician’s funeral and burial have not yet been published.
On March 11, Li Keqiang was replaced at the annual plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC, legislative) by Li Qiang, at the proposal of President Xi Jinping, who had just been elected for a third term, leaving aside a tradition according to which his predecessors resigned after 10 years.
A trained economist, knowledgeable in the English language and belonging to the most liberal wing of the Government, Li was a fervent supporter of economic reforms, although his plans in this area were hindered by the growing authority of Xi Jinping.
His tenure was marked by a dramatic shift in power in China, from a consensual regime, associated with former President Hu Jintao and his predecessors, to the omnipotence of Xi.
In the years since we have not been able to withstand even harsh convulsions, such as a trade war with the United States, a growing divide in the Covid-19 pandemic, which has kept the country dated for almost three years, with an enormous impact on the second largest economy in the world. world.
Born in 1955 in the eastern province of Anhui, Li joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1976 and rose through the ranks of the communist youth to become China’s youngest governor in 1998, heading the central province. from Henan.
After being head of the CCP in the provinces of Henan and Liaoning (northeast), Li became a member of the Party Standing Committee in 2007 and was promoted, just a year later, to vice premier by the then Chinese number two, Wen Jiabao.
The 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China approved a new Central Committee in November 2012, which included Li Keqiang, who four months later was appointed by the NPC as prime minister, replacing Wen.
Source: TSF
