Li Qiang, considered one of the trusted men closest to Xi Jinping, became the new Chinese Prime Minister on Saturday, a few months after being propelled to the rank of number two in the Communist Party (CCP).
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At the CCP congress in October, the then party leader in Shanghai eclipsed two other candidates with more traditional skills for this position, in a strong gesture testifying to Xi Jinping’s placement of his allies in the Standing Committee, the most high echelon of power.
The likelihood of Li Qiang, 63, getting such a high job, however, seemed in jeopardy after his chaotic handling of a two-month lockdown in Shanghai last year, during which the city’s 25 million people struggled. supply of food and essential medical care.
“If there was proof (showing) that loyalty trumps meritocracy in Xi Jinping’s China, the promotion of Li Qiang is one,” said Richard McGregor of the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia.
“Li may be competent enough and can make a good prime minister, but it’s hard to understand how he got there other than through personal favors from Xi,” he adds.
In his country, Li Qiang conveys the image of an approachable leader, as evidenced by Hu Shuli, founder of the economic media Caixin, who described him as “low-key and pragmatic” after an interview in 2013 when he was governor of Zhejiang province (east).
He is “particularly good at listening and integrating the views of all parties when making decisions,” one of his colleagues in Zhejiang also told local media in 2016.
Although it is not unusual for a former party chief in Shanghai to be promoted to a high party echelon, Li Qiang has no experience at the central government level, unlike almost all ex-seniors. prime ministers.
However, he had a rich career in local government: Li Qiang took on important leadership roles in the wealthy coastal provinces of Zhejiang (east) and Jiangsu (east).
Crucially, he was Xi Jinping’s chief of staff when the latter was party leader in Zhejiang between 2004 and 2007.
His rapid promotions since reflect the high level of trust placed in him by Xi Jinping.
Li Qiang was parachuted into Jiangsu in 2016 by the Chinese president, after a corruption scandal led to the downfall of several provincial officials. He became party secretary in Shanghai the following year.
The Chinese premier heads the State Council, often described as the Chinese government. Its function is traditionally associated with the day-to-day management of the country and the conduct of macroeconomic policy.
“(Mr. Li) was seen as a business-friendly local official, but it is questionable whether these skills will lend themselves well to overseeing macroeconomic (management) and regulatory policies (conducted) as prime minister” asks Neil Thomas, China specialist at Eurasia Group.
Li Qiang takes office at a time when the world’s second largest economy is facing a sharp slowdown, weakened by nearly three years of an inflexible so-called “zero Covid” policy.
For 2023, the government has set itself a GDP growth target of “around 5%”, one of the lowest in decades.
According to some analysts, the appointment of Li Qiang should allow Xi Jinping to push through a conservative economic program.
The outgoing Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, an economist by training, had seen his plans for economic reform hampered by the growing authority of Xi Jinping.
For Steve Tsang, of the SOAS China institute at the University of London, even if Li Qiang is a “trusted lieutenant” of the president, he will not be able to do as he pleases.
“Xi Jinping will give Li Qiang more leeway (than Li Keqiang) to lead the State Council,” said Tsang.
“Provided that Li Qiang does what Xi wants, without exceeding the fixed perimeter”.