Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang Dies Of Heart Attack At 68

The former Premier of China, Li Keqiang, has passed away, according to reports from state media.

Li suffered a fatal heart attack in Shanghai just past midnight, CNBC reported. He was 68 years old.

Li was renowned for his focus on economic reform and had a close relationship with former President Hu Jintao. His approach occasionally led to disagreements with Hu’s successor, President Xi Jinping.

After concluding his term as premier in March, Li was succeeded by Xi loyalist and former Shanghai party secretary, Li Qiang. The premier’s role, which also encompasses leading China’s chief executive body, the State Council, has seen a growing influence from the ruling Chinese Communist Party under Xi’s leadership.

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Li was also recognized for his candidness about China’s economic disparities. In 2020, he frankly told reporters that over 600 million Chinese people were earning a monthly income of barely 1,000 yuan ($137).

Li’s legacy also includes the unofficial “Li Keqiang Index,” a measure of the economy based on electricity consumption, rail cargo, and bank lending, used as an alternative to official economic figures.

During his time as Premier, Li advocated for increased trade cooperation and liberalization of internal flows of people and goods. He also pushed for “mass entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Li was a key figure in the launch of the “Made in China 2025” strategy, an initiative aimed at bolstering China’s domestic technological capabilities, drawing significant attention from the U.S. and Europe.

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