Li Qiang was officially elected Prime Minister of China
The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China has confirmed formally the appointment of Li Qiang as Prime Minister of the State Council, the most important election after that of Xi Jinping who officially launched his third term as head of China on Friday. Li, who is 63… The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China has confirmed the appointment of Li Qiang as Prime Minister of the State Council, the most important election after that of Xi Jinping who officially launched his third term as head of China on Friday. Li, who is 63 and one of Xi’s closest aides, got 2,936 votes in favour, only three delegates voted against and eight others abstained. He replaces his predecessor, Li Keqiang who is about to turn 68, the age at which Chinese politicians traditionally retire. Li's tasks will be to revive China's economy, strained by the three-year coronavirus pandemic, with declining demand for exports.
Published : 2 years ago by Adam in Politics World
The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China has confirmed formally the appointment of Li Qiang as Prime Minister of the State Council, the most important election after that of Xi Jinping who officially launched his third term as head of China on Friday. Li, who is 63 and one of Xi’s closest aides, got 2,936 votes in favour: only three delegates voted against and eight others abstained.
Li replaces Li Keqiang, who is about to turn 68, the age at which Chinese politicians traditionally retire. Li Keqiang, in office for ten years, had positions quite distant from those of Xi Jinping on certain issues, in particular of an economic nature.
Li Qiang had been party leader in Shanghai, the city where, last April, there were large participatory protests against the government because of the very severe restrictions imposed (precisely by his authority) for the coronavirus. The new prime minister had been heavily criticized for his handling of the lockdown, but his October appointment to the Standing Committee indicated that a close relationship with Xi had prevailed over other assessments.
One of Li’s tasks will be to revive China’s economy, strained by the three-year coronavirus pandemic, with declining demand for exports. Outgoing Premier Li Keqiang had announced a gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast of around 5%. Also due to repeated COVID lockdowns, China had missed forecasts for 2022. Last year, GDP growth stalled at 3%, a 40-year low and well below estimates of 5, 5%.
Topics: China