Former Communist party chief of Shanghai, Li Qiang, on Saturday took oath as China’s premier, replacing outgoing Li Keqiang after a decade, and facing the tough task to revive an economy battered by three years of Covid controls and global uncertainties.
Li, 63, is considered close to Chinese leader Xi Jinping who on Friday secured an unprecedented third term as president and has filled up critical government posts with allies.
Li will be the second-highest ranking official in China’s political system.
Li is also the first premier since the founding of modern China in 1949 under the Communist party never to have served in the central government.
Li received a total of 2,936 votes with three delegates voting against his appointment while eight abstained.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order to appoint Li Qiang as premierC Saturday at the ongoing session of China’s national legislature,” official news agency Xinhua said in a report.
Separately, Zhang Youxia and He Weidong were endorsed as vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission (CMC) at the annual session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Saturday.
“Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies voted to approve the nomination by Xi Jinping, chairman of the CMC of the PRC. Li Shangfu, Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua and Zhang Shengmin were endorsed as CMC members,” the Xinhua report said.
