Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, passed away of a sudden heart attack early on 27 October in Shanghai at 68 years old.
Li served as the country’s prime minister for a decade from 2013 to March this year under President Xi Jinping. During his time in the role, Li navigated the world’s second-largest economy through a challenging period of rising tensions with the United States, mounting government debt and unemployment, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
In his final year in power, the economist by training had been a strong voice warning of challenges to China’s economy amid widespread Covid-19 lockdowns, while backing efforts to boost employment and maintain economic stability.