Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang dies at 68

Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 68. The news was reported by China’s CCTV today. Li Keqiang, a well-respected figure in Chinese politics, served as the First Vice Premier of the PRC from March 2008 to the same month of 2013 before moving on to become the seventh Premier of China.

“Comrade Li Keqiang suffered a heart attack on October 26 while resting in Shanghai in recent days. Despite all efforts, he passed away at ten minutes past midnight on October 27 in Shanghai,” CCTV reported.

Chinese social media was stirred into a frenzy when news broke, with one user commenting on Weibo, “This is too sudden, he was so young.”

Born in Hefei, Anhui province in 1955, Li joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1976 where he later became the party chief of the local production team.

Li studied law at Peking University Law School and was one of the most prominent political figures in China during his time. Li gained his Master’s degree as well as PhD in economics in 1995. As an outspoken economist, Li’s policies for reform and to reduce debt strived to drive the Chinese economy to be self-sustaining.

Li Keqiang was the Chinese premier and second-ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP from 2012 up until last year. There had been speculations that Li would succeed former leader Hu Jintao as he was the last delegate of Hu’s administration to be left in the Politburo Standing Committee before Li stepped down. Li’s political career ended earlier this year in March after stepping down from his position.

One of Li’s notable achievements is his role in implementing China’s Made in China 2025 initiative, which aims to upgrade and transform the country’s manufacturing sector into a high-tech and innovation-driven industry. This initiative reflects his commitment to advancing China’s technological and industrial capabilities on the global stage.

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