Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 17th, 18th and 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) central committees and former premier of the State Council, passed away on Friday in Shanghai. He was 68.

Li died of a sudden heart attack at 00:10 on Friday after all-out rescue efforts failed, according to an official obituary notice issued on Friday.

Li was extolled as an excellent CPC member, a time-tested and loyal communist soldier and an outstanding proletarian revolutionist, statesman and leader of the Party and the state.

The obituary notice was jointly issued by the CPC Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

In October 2007, Li was elected member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee at the first plenary session of the 17th CPC Central Committee.

In November 2012, Li was re-elected a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee at the first plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

He was appointed premier of the State Council at the first session of the 12th NPC in March 2013.

Li followed the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, maintained strategic resolve, and improved approaches to macro regulation with greater attention to anticipatory adjustments, fine-tuning and targeted regulation.

In October 2017, Li was re-elected a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee at the first plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

He was re-appointed premier of the State Council at the first session of the 13th NPC in March 2018. 

Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, confronting multiple challenges including fast-changing international situations, the COVID-19 epidemic and downward pressure in the domestic economy, Li followed the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully and faithfully applied the new development philosophy on all fronts, worked to create a new pattern of development, promoted high-quality development, and balanced development and security imperatives.

Li took coordinated moves to keep economic growth stable, carry out reforms, promote structural adjustment, improve people's livelihood, prevent risks, and maintain stability.

He made active efforts to expand effective domestic demand, keep major economic indicators within the appropriate range, and rely on innovation to optimize and upgrade industrial structures.

While serving as the premier, Li also served as head of the State Council's leading group for revitalizing old industrial bases in the northeast and other regions, head of the State Council's leading group for the development of the western region, head of the country's leading group for education, science and technology and head of the country's leading group for addressing climate change and energy conservation and emission reduction.

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, Li assumed the post of head of the central leading group for COVID-19 response, and helped secure tremendously encouraging achievements in both epidemic response and economic and social development.

Always bearing China's realities in mind, Li had been upholding and improving the country's basic socialist economic systems, and promoting economic reforms.

Li consistently advanced the reforms to develop the socialist market economy and struck a proper balance between the government and the market. This enabled the market to play a decisive role in resource allocation and the government to better play its role, thus promoting both an efficient market and a well-functioning government.

He advanced reforms in key fields such as fiscal and tax systems, financial sectors and investment, as well as science and technology, while pursuing a broader agenda of opening up across more areas and in greater depth.

To improve the people's well-being, Li devoted efforts to address prominent issues in employment, education, housing, healthcare, and elderly care.

In March 2023, Li no longer served as the premier. After retiring from the leadership post, Li continued to firmly uphold the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, care for advancing the cause of the Party and the country, and firmly uphold the Party's efforts to improve conduct, build integrity, and combat corruption. 

(With input from Xinhua News Agency: Li Keqiang passes away)