China Elects New Premier

The Chinese government has elected a new premier.

Report says Li Qiang was nominated as China’s next premier by President Xi Jinping and has been formally elected by parliament.

Li Qiang, the former Communist Party leader of the country’s biggest city of Shanghai, will now lead the government, replacing retiring Li Keqiang.

The 63-year-old received almost every vote from more than 2,900 delegates at the National People’s Congress.

A close ally of Mr. Xi, he is seen as a pragmatist and will be tasked with reviving China’s struggling economy.

Meanwhile, new ministerial appointments are expected to be announced on Sunday.

No reporters were allowed in the room while ballots were cast.

Mr. Li, now the second-highest ranking official in China’s political system, received 2,936 votes, with just three delegates voting against his appointment and eight abstaining.

He then took an oath, swearing to be loyal to China’s constitution and to “work hard to build a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilised, harmonious and great modern socialist country.”

His appointment comes after Mr. Xi secured a historic third term as president on Friday.

However, since Mao Zedong, leaders in China have been limited to two terms in office. When Mr. Xi changed this restriction in 2018, it transformed him into a figure with a reach not seen since Chairman Mao.

BBC/Christopher Ojilere