BEIJING - Li Keqiang was endorsed as Chinese premier Friday morning at the ongoing session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature.

Li Keqiang is endorsed as the premier of China's State Council at the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 15, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies voted to approve the nomination of Li, by newly-elected President Xi Jinping, as the candidate for premier at the ongoing parliament session.

Li, born in July 1955, is a male ethnic Han from Dingyuan, Anhui Province. He entered the workforce in March 1974 and joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in May 1976. He graduated from the School of Economics at Peking University with a major in economics, has an in-service postgraduate education and holds the degree of Doctor of Economics.

He is currently a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, premier of the State Council and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

1974-1976 Educated youth, Dongling Brigade, Damiao Commune, Fengyang County, Anhui Province

1976-1978 Secretary, Party Branch, Damiao Brigade, Damiao Commune, Fengyang County, Anhui Province

1978-1982 Student, Department of Law; and leader, Students' Union of Peking University

1982-1983 Secretary, Committee of the Communist Youth League (CYL), Peking University; member, Standing Committee, CYL Central Committee

1983-1983 Director, School Department, CYL Central Committee; secretary-general, All-China Students' Federation

1983-1985 alternate member, Secretariat, CYL Central Committee

1985-1993 Member, Secretariat, CYL Central Committee; vice chairman, All-China Youth Federation (09/1991-11/1991: student of a further studies course for provincial and ministerial level officials at Central Party School)

1993-1998 First member, Secretariat, CYL Central Committee; president, China Youth University for Political Sciences (1988-1994: studied economics in an in-service postgraduate program at the School of Economics at Peking University, and awarded the degrees of Master of Economics and Doctor of Economics)

1998-1999 Deputy secretary, CPC Henan Provincial Committee; acting governor, Henan Province; and concurrently director, Yellow River Flood Control Headquarters

1999-2002 Deputy secretary, CPC Henan Provincial Committee; governor, Henan Province; and concurrently director, Yellow River Flood Control Headquarters

2002-2003 Secretary, CPC Henan Provincial Committee; governor, Henan Province; and concurrently director, Yellow River Flood Control Headquarters

2003-2004 Secretary, CPC Henan Provincial Committee; chairman, Standing Committee, Henan Provincial People's Congress

2004-2005 Secretary, CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee

2005-2007 Secretary, CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee; chairman, Standing Committee, Liaoning Provincial People's Congress

2007-2008 Member, Standing Committee, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee

2008-2013 Member, Standing Committee, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; vice premier of the State Council and deputy secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group; director of Three Georges Project Construction Committee and of South-to-North Water Diversion Construction Project Committee; head of the office of the leading group of deepening the reform of medical and health care system, State Council

2013- Member, Standing Committee, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; premier of the State Council and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group; director of Three Georges Project Construction Committee and of South-to-North Water Diversion Construction Project Committee; head of the leading group of deepening the reform of medical and health care system, State Council Member, Fifteenth through Eighteenth CPC Central Committees; member, Political Bureau and its Standing Committee, Seventeenth and Eighteenth CPC Central Committees; member, Standing Committee, Eighth NPC.

 

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Li Keqiang: A man who puts people first

Better environment China will strengthen the enforcement of environmental laws, and take other measures to tackle air pollution	Urbanization boost Urbanization will be the main driver of economic growth for the future.	More efforts on shantytowns Rebuilding shantytowns is an obstacle that must be conquered in the urbanization process.?
Sino-EU ties Li's European tour in 2012 will open a historic new chapter for continued cooperation between China and European countries. Against protectionism	People-first style Li Keqiang has continuously maintained a down-to-earth work style and a governance philosophy of putting people first.	Fight against AIDS More support, especially in registration and funding, for grassroots organizations committed to combating HIV/AIDS is needed.?
Spearhead tough reforms Calling reform "the biggest dividend for China," Li Keqiang has used different occasions to facilitate reforms since being re-elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC.	Sino-US ties Li saidChinaand theUnited Statesshould take care of each other's core interests while managing and controlling contradictions and differences.?	Medical reform Efforts must be made to "expedite the development of the medical insurance system, expand the coverage of the basic healthcare network and raise healthcare subsidies",