Li Qiang, former head of the Communist Party in Shanghai, today (Saturday) took office as Prime Minister of China, the second most important position in the country. Li is an associate of President Xi Jinping, and will be responsible for restoring the economy after the corona restrictions.
Lee is the first prime minister in modern times to be appointed to the post without having previously served in the central government. Therefore, the analysts take into account that a sharp learning curve is expected for him in the first months of work. He served as Xi’s chief of staff in 2004-2007 when he served as party secretary in Zhejiang province, and it is believed that the close ties between the two will help him acclimate quickly.
“In my estimation, Li Chiang will have much more space and authority within the system,” Trey McCarver, one of the founders of the consulting firm Tribium China, told CNBC.
Lee was elected to the position after 2,936 MPs voted for him, 3 against him and eight abstained. On Monday he will participate in a traditional press conference after the end of the parliament session.