China’s Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang has been elected as the new Premier after being nominated for the post during a session of the 14th National People’s Congress. The record-time elect Chinese President XI Jinping earlier today nominated Li Qiang for the post of premier during the ongoing first session.
Li Qiang’s election was mostly unanimous as the 63-year-old received almost every vote from more than 2,900 delegates at the National People’s Congress. Li Qiang was a close associate of ZI Jinping. New ministerial appointments are expected to be announced on Sunday.
Li Qiang will replace Li Keqiang who was the second-highest-ranking official since 2013. After he was elected, Mr. Li took an oath: “to work hard to build a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and great modern socialist country.”
