Li Qiang
Premier
Timeline
Born in Rui'an, Zhejiang.
Joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Appointed party secretary of Wenzhou.
Became acting governor of Zhejiang.
Elected to the CCP Politburo and appointed party secretary of Shanghai.
Promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee.
Appointed Premier of China.
Biography
Li Qiang, born July 1959, is a Chinese politician currently serving as the Premier of China and the second-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He joined the CCP in 1983 and held various provincial roles, including party secretary of Yongkang and Wenzhou, and governor of Zhejiang from 2012 to 2016. He later served as party secretary of Jiangsu (2016-2017) and Shanghai (2017-2022), where he pursued pro-business policies. Elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee in 2022, he became Premier in 2023, succeeding Li Keqiang. Li Qiang is considered a close ally of CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping, part of the 'New Zhijiang Army,' and is generally regarded as pro-business and supportive of economic reforms.
Early Life & Background
Li Qiang was born in July 1959 in his maternal grandfather's house in Rui'an, Zhejiang. His father, Li Xiju, came from a poor family in Dong'ao Village and worked as a government clerk and cadre. His mother, Ruan Xiulian, from Mayu, Rui'an, made a living by selling pork. In his youth, Li was cared for by his maternal grandmother and other elders. He completed primary and secondary school in Mayu. He worked at the Irrigation Pump Station of Mayu from 1976 to 1977 and the Third Tool Factory of Rui'an from 1977 to 1978.
Education
Li Qiang studied agricultural mechanization at the Ningbo Branch of Zhejiang Agricultural University from 1978 to 1982. He pursued sociology by correspondence at the China Sociology Correspondence University from 1985 to 1987. He attended Zhejiang University for on-the-job graduate studies in management engineering from 1995 to 1997 and the Central Party School for on-the-job graduate studies in world economics from 2001 to 2004. He also received an executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2005, after studying there from 2003.
Political & Professional Career
Li Qiang joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in April 1983. He served in the Communist Youth League in Rui'an from 1982 to 1984, then held progressively senior roles in the Zhejiang Provincial Civil Affairs Department from 1984 to 1996. He became party secretary of Yongkang in 1996 and party secretary of Wenzhou in 2002. From 2004, he served as secretary-general of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, earning a seat on its Standing Committee in 2005. In 2011, he became Political and Legal Affairs Secretary of Zhejiang, then deputy party secretary. He was an alternate of the CCP Central Committee after the 18th CCP National Congress. He served as governor of Zhejiang from 2012 to 2016, then as party secretary of Jiangsu from 2016 to 2017. In October 2017, he was elected to the CCP Politburo and appointed party secretary of Shanghai, a role he held until 2022. In October 2022, he was promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee as its second-ranking member. In March 2023, he was appointed Premier of China.
Key Achievements & Legacy
Supported the development of private businesses and light industry during his tenure as party secretary of Wenzhou., Helped draft and clarify Xi Jinping's 'Double Eight Strategy' while serving in Zhejiang., Implemented pro-business policies in Shanghai, including the opening of the Shanghai Stock Exchange STAR Market and attracting significant foreign investment like Tesla's gigafactory., Reportedly pushed for the quick relaxation of zero-COVID rules in late 2022, resisting pressure from Xi Jinping., Established special study sessions of the State Council and re-established the Premier's Work Meeting in 2023, strengthening the premier's position.