1. Li Keqiang was a Chinese economist and politician who served as the seventh premier of China from 2013 to 2023.
36 Facts About Li Keqiang
1. 2.
Li Keqiang was the second-ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party from 2012 to 2022.
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Li Keqiang was a key figure critical in the opening of the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone, which opened in 2013.
4.
Li Keqiang was born on 3 July 1955 in Dingyuan County of Hefei, Anhui province.
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Li Keqiang was awarded the honor of Outstanding Individual in the Study of Mao Zedong Thought during this time.
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Li Keqiang studied under Professor Gong Xiangrui, a well-known British-educated expert on Western political systems.
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Li Keqiang received a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1982.
8.
Li Keqiang passed of a chance to study in the United States to stay as the Committee Secretary.
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Li Keqiang entered the top leadership of the national CYLC in 1983 as an alternate member of CYLC Central Committee's Secretariat, and worked closely with future Party General Secretary Hu Jintao, who rose through the ranks of the CYLC.
10.
Li Keqiang was appointed as a secretary of the CYLC Secretariat in 1985.
11.
Li Keqiang studied economics under prominent economist Li Yining, who was his doctoral advisor.
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Li Keqiang received a Master of Economics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from Peking University in 1995.
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Li Keqiang trekked through all regions of the province trying to search for a comprehensive solution to its growing problems.
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In December 2002, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party decided to appoint Li Keqiang to replace Chen Kuiyuan as the Secretary of the Henan Provincial Party Committee, and left his post as governor in 2003.
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Li Keqiang was succeeded in his Liaoning party secretary post by governor Zhang Wenyue.
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Li Keqiang was put in charge of restructuring the government.
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Li Keqiang reiterated the importance of industrialization, urbanization and agricultural modernization in China in order to improve its competitiveness, food security, energy security, affordable housing, and healthcare.
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On 15 March 2013, Li Keqiang was elected by the 1st Session of the 12th National People's Congress as premier, succeeding Wen Jiabao.
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Li Keqiang announced curbs on off-budget spending to fight corruption.
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Li Keqiang later called on officials to decrease the fatality rate of the H7N9 bird flu.
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Li Keqiang later held a State Council meeting, where he encouraged officials to give explanations to the public on social issues.
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Li Keqiang proposed Internet Plus and urged telecoms companies to cut prices and increase their speeds and announced investment infrastructure improvements for this goal.
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Li Keqiang then visited Jilin, and later visited the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the China Development Bank in April 2015, where he called on banks to support the real economy.
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Li Keqiang visited the Fujian Free-Trade Zone in the same month, where he called for a cut on borrowing costs.
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Li Keqiang wrote an article in People's Daily in the same month, where he said China's economy faced "great pressure".
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Li Keqiang held a meeting with 10 local government heads, where he urged them to prioritize small businesses.
27.
Li Keqiang visited Gaobeidian and Zhuozhou, Hebei, in the same month, saying "China's ample grain supply is vital to stabilize consumer prices".
28.
Li Keqiang later visited the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, later holding a seminar on employment problems and economic development.
29.
Li Keqiang promoted tax cuts; from 2015 to 2020, the government cut 7.6 trillion yuan of taxes and fees, decreasing the ratio of government tax revenues to GDP down by 3 percent to 15.2 percent.
30.
Li Keqiang stated his belief that many lower-level officials fail to provide services to the public in an effective manner.
31.
Li Keqiang made his first foreign visit to India on 18 May 2013 in a bid to resolve border disputes and to stimulate economic relations.
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Li Keqiang said the choice of India as the first international visit highlights Chinese importance in its relations with the country.
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Li Keqiang began with the observation that China, having already developed its industrial and technological base, no longer needed the United States.
34.
Li Keqiang died at Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Pudong at 00:10 CST on 27 October 2023 at the age of 68 after a heart attack the previous day.
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Li Keqiang's father-in-law was once the deputy secretary of the Communist Youth League Central Committee.
36.
Li Keqiang was described as representing the less ideological and more pragmatic and technocratic side of China's leadership.