Li Keqiang

Li Keqiang (Chinese: 李克强; pinyin: Lǐ Kèqiáng; 3 July 1955 – 27 October 2023) was a Chinese politician and economist who served as premier of China from 2013 to 2023 and was the second-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s Politburo Standing Committee from 2012 to 2022.

Born in Hefei, Anhui province, Li rose through the ranks in the Communist Youth League of China, serving as its first secretary from 1993 to 1998. From 1998 to 2004, he served in Henan, including as governor and later as party secretary of the province. From 2004 to 2007 he served as the party secretary of Liaoning. From 2008 to 2013, Li served as the first-ranked vice premier overseeing economy, under then-premier Wen Jiabao.

Initially seen as a candidate for the paramount leader, Li instead assumed the post of premier in 2013. During his tenure, he promoted a shift in China's economic priorities from export-led growth toward domestic consumption. He played a key role in the establishment of the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone in 2013 and championed the policy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation. Under his premiership, the State Council launched the Made in China 2025 strategic initiative in 2015. Li also oversaw China's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Owing to his experience in the Communist Youth League, Li was viewed as an ally of Hu Jintao and associated with the Tuanpai faction. With a scholarly background, he was often characterized as reform-minded and pragmatic, representing the technocratic wing of China's leadership. However, both he and the premiership itself were seen as increasingly hollowed out amid the so-called "dispute between the north and south houses" at Zhongnanhai, as the party–government co-governance of the previous leadership broke down under Xi Jinping. Li stepped down from the Politburo Standing Committee in October 2022 and was succeeded as premier by Li Qiang in March 2023. He died in October 2023 from a heart attack, several months after leaving office.