Li Qiang, Xi’s close confidant named as China’s new Premier

China's parliament on Saturday confirmed President Xi Jinping’s trusted ally Li Qiang as the new Premier to revive the world's second-largest economy hit by three years of 'zero-Covid' restrictions and worsening relations with the West.

Li Qiang, 63, succeeds Li Keqiang, 67, who held the post for the last 10 years.

The annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), a largely ceremonial body which routinely passes the proposals of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), approved Li Qiang’s candidature after his name was proposed by Xi himself.

However, his “election” unlike that of Xi was not unanimous.

He was endorsed by 2,936 of the 2,947 NPC members who attended Saturday’s meeting, with three voting against and eight abstaining, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

After the voting, Xi signed a Presidential decree appointing Li Qiang as Premier following which he took a pledge of allegiance to the Constitution.

Later Xi shook hands with Li Qiang in brief video clips shown on national television.

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