Career bureaucrat, Xi Jinping's ally and now China's second most powerful man: Who is Li Qiang?

Li Qiang, the former Shanghai Communist Party chief on Saturday, took overthe nation’s number two post and assumed office as the country's premier. The 63-old-year-old Li faces the daunting task of reviving China’s economy, which has over the past three years been battered by COVID-19 curbs. He was appointed to the seven-member CCP Politburo Standing Committee — China’s highest echelon of power — at the Communist Party's 20th Congress last October. With his latest appointment, China Premier Li Qiang now ranks second in leadership after President Xi Jinping.

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Here’s all you need to know about China’s second most powerful man:

Who is Li Qiang?

Qiang, as per Reuters, is a career bureaucrat who from 2017 to 2022 served as the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) secretary of the nation’s most populous city, Shanghai.

He joined the CCP in 1983 and since then has served in many capacities.

Qiang started his career as the secretary of the Communist Youth League of Rui'an, Zhejiang. He then went on to serve in the provincial department of civil affairs, following which he became the party secretary of Yong Kang, Wenzhou, the Political Legal Affairs Secretary of Zhejiang and later the deputy party secretary of the province.

In 2012, he became the governor of Zhejiang. He then became the party secretary of Jiangsu province and was then finally transferred to the position of party secretary of Shanghai in 2017. The same year, he was elevated and was made a member of the CCP Politburo.

Why was he appointed as China’s premier?

Chinese President Xi Jinping, following his groundbreaking appointment as the third time head of China, is appointing a slate of his loyalists in key governmental posts. This has been termed China’s biggest government reshuffle in a decade. As a generation of more reform-minded officials retire, Xi as per Reuters, is further consolidating power after being unanimously elected president.

Li Qiang is a close ally of Xi, and he even served as Xi’s chief of staff between 2004 and 2007; back when the current President was the provincial party secretary of Zhejiang province.

What do experts say about Li Qiang’s rise to power?

Due to Qiang’s handling of Shanghai’s two-month lockdown last spring, in which residents struggled to access food and medical care, his ascension had as per AFP earlier seemed in doubt.

Richard McGregor, a senior fellow at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, says, "if proof were needed that loyalty trumps meritocracy in Xi's China, Li Qiang's elevation provides it."

"Li might be quite capable, and may make a good premier, but it is hard to see how he got there other than through Xi's personal favour," he added.

Neil Thomas, senior China analyst at Eurasia Group says that while "(Li) was seen as a business-friendly local leader but it's questionable whether these skills will translate well to overseeing macroeconomic coordination and regulatory agendas as premier.”

Some even see Li’s loyalty to Xi as an impediment to making his mark in solving the problems China faces. They say that his appointment may serve as a way for President Xi to assert his own economic agenda.

According to Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute, despite being the president's "trusted lieutenant", the new premier's ability to push through policies is still limited.

"Xi will give Li Qiang more scope to run the State Council, but on the basis that Li Qiang will do what Xi wants and not go beyond the perimeter set by Xi," he remarked.

What is expected of Li Qiang's premiership?

In his current capacity as premier and the head of China’s cabinet, the State Council, in his capacity as premier and head of China's cabinet Li Qiang will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the country, as well as its macroeconomic policy.

His ascension comes at a time when China’s economy is in serious trouble. Last year it grew by just three per cent. Owing to this, the ongoing annual session of the Chinese parliament has set a modest growth target of five per cent for 2023. This is the lowest goal set by China in nearly three decades.

As per Christopher Beddor, the deputy China research director at Gavekal Dragonomics, for Li, the top task this year will be beating the five per cent target without triggering serious inflation or piling on debt.

"The leadership has already accepted two years of exceptionally weak economic growth in the name of COVID containment. Now that containment is gone, they won’t accept another," added Beddor.

What is the current state of China’s economy?

For the first time in 25 years of its survey, the American Chamber of Commerce in China found that China is no longer seen as a "top three investment priority". The results were based on a survey of companies,the majority of which said this.

In recent years, some of Beijing’s most successful private firms like Alibaba have been battered by abrupt crackdowns and regulatory hurdles.

Even as China tries to present a business-friendly face, in the face of global headwinds and weak confidence among consumers and the private sector, Li will have to work hard to restore confidence.

(With inputs from agencies)

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