Daily Times

BEIJING: Li Keqiang was endorsed as Chinese premier Sunday at the ongoing first session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s national legislature.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies voted to approve the premiership nomination of Li, by newly-elected President Xi Jinping.

Li was officially appointed premier after President Xi signed a presidential decree.

Li then took an oath of allegiance to the country’s fundamental law. “I pledge to be allegiant to the Constitution of the PRC, safeguard the Constitution’s authority, fulfill my legal obligations, be loyal to the country and the people, be committed and honest in my duty, accept the people’s supervision and work for a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful,” he said.

This is the second term for him on the post. In 2013, he became the seventh premier since the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was founded in 1949.

Li, born in 1955, joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1976 and graduated from Peking University with law and economics degrees.

After working as provincial leaders in Henan and Liaoning provinces, he was elected to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in 2007 and appointed vice premier in 2008. He was reelected to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in 2012 and 2017.

In a government work report delivered on March 5, Li called on the people to rally even closer around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, be enterprising and work hard.

At Sunday’s plenary meeting, the deputies also voted to decide on vice chairpersons and members of the Central Military Commission of the PRC, and elect director of the national supervisory commission, president of the Supreme People’s Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and members of the 13th NPC Standing Committee.

Meanwhile, Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia were endorsed as vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People’s Republic of China at the annual session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Sunday morning.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies voted to approve the nomination by Xi Jinping, chairman of the CMC of the People’s Republic of China.

Wei Fenghe, Li Zuocheng, Miao Hua and Zhang Shengmin were endorsed as the CMC members after Xi’s nomination was approved by the national lawmakers.

The new CMC vice chairmen and members pledged allegiance to the country’s Constitution upon assuming office on Sunday.

Xu, born in March 1950, is currently a member of the Political Bureau of the 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission. He holds the rank of general in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

Zhang, born in July 1950, is currently a member of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission. He holds the rank of general.

China’s national legislature also approved a massive Cabinet restructuring plan that aims to improve government efficiency and make it more service-oriented. The plan will create an immigration administration, an agency to coordinate foreign aid, a combined banking and insurance regulator, and ministries of veterans affairs, emergency management and natural resources. It was adopted on Saturday at a plenary meeting of the ongoing first session of the 13th National People’s Congress.

The State Council, China’s Cabinet, will have fewer entities at ministerial or vice-ministerial level, he said, adding that it will “focus on the needs of development and meet the people’s expectations”.

It will be the eighth time the State Council has undergone changes since the early 1980s. The latest restructuring plan is considered part of broader efforts by the Communist Party of China to deepen reform of the Party and State institutions.

Published in Daily Times, March 19^th 2018.