In Photos: A Look Back at the Rise and Fall of Li Keqiang’s Political Career
A rising star in the Communist Party, Li Keqiang saw his influence diminished as Xi tightened his grip on the government, with the role of premiership losing power in both political stature and direct authority.
Li Keqiang’s sudden death at 68, just months after stepping down as premier, has led to an outpouring of grief on Chinese social media.
For a decade, Li served as China’s second-most powerful man. He became the country’s first premier with an economics doctorate after losing out on the top job to President Xi Jinping, steering the world’s No. 2 economy with his liberal economic vision. His career in politics came to an end in March, when Xi replaced him with a key ally, Li Qiang, as part of a leadership shakeup.