Li Qiang

Li Qiang (born 23 July 1959) is a Chinese politician who is currently serving as the 8th Premier of the People's Republic of China. Known to be one of Xi Jinping's closest ally, he used to serve as chief of staff and a de facto personal aide under Xi. This is when Xi served as the top party leader in the province of Zhejiang from 2004 to 2007.
In March 2023, he was appointed to premiership by the National People's Congress with 2,936 votes, three voting against his appointment, and eight abstaining. As premier, he promised to improve the economy and to expand China's gross domestic product by 5%.