Li Keqiang, Former Premier of China, Dies Aged 68

Li served as Premier for a decade in the Xi Jinping administration.

Li Keqiang, who served as Premier of the People’s Republic of China from 2013 to 2023, has died at the age of 68.

Multiple outlets have reported that Li suffered a heart attack while swimming in Shanghai early Friday (Oct. 27) morning. His body was flown back to Beijing pending instructions on funeral arrangements.

Following the announcement of Li’s death, he was praised by Xinhua as “an excellent CPC member, a time-tested and loyal communist soldier and an outstanding proletarian revolutionist, statesman and leader of the Party and the state.” Xinhua further noted that “the obituary notice calls for turning grief into strength to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and to strive in unity for fully building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization.”

Li previously served as First Vice Premier in the administration of Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, as well as Party Secretary of Hunan (2002-2004) and Liaoning (2004-2007). Once seen as the preferred successor of Hu, Li was passed over for the country’s top offices in favor of Xi Jinping. Like Hu, Li first rose through the ranks of China’s Communist Youth League, eventually serving as its First Secretary from 1993 to 1998. He stepped down from his position as Premier in March of this year and was succeeded by former Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang.

Li’s cause of death has been reported as a heart attack by China Central Television. He is survived by his wife, Chong Hong and one daughter.

This story will be updated as more details become available.