Li Qiang

Li Qiang was born in Rui'an, Zhejiang in 1959. He attended Zhejiang Agricultural University (now merged into Zhejiang University), where he majored in agricultural mechanization. He joined the Communist Party of China in April 1983. He was the secretary of the Communist Youth League of Rui'an County. He then served in progressively senior roles in the provincial department of civil affairs. He later became the Communist Party secretary of the city of Yongkang, and then party chief of the prefecture-level city of Wenzhou. In 2005, Li earned a seat on the provincial Party Standing Committee, serving under then party secretary Xi Jinping, and also became the secretary-general of the provincial party committee, in charge of administration and coordination.[1]

Li holds a master's degree in Business Administration from the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China.[1][2]

In February 2011, he became the Political and Legal Affairs Secretary of Zhejiang province, and several months later was made deputy party chief.[2]

In December 2012 he became the acting governor of Zhejiang, succeeding Xia Baolong who was promoted to the provincial party chief, and was officially elected as governor in January 2013.[1] In 2015, Li accompanied Xi Jinping on a state visit to the United States. In June 2016, Li Qiang was named party chief of Jiangsu province, one of the most important regional political positions in China. He served for 15 months - becoming the shortest serving Jiangsu party chief in the history of the People's Republic. In October 2017, following the 19th Party Congress, Li was appointed as the party chief of Shanghai.[2]

Li Qiang was an alternate member of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (2012–17)[1][2] In October 2017, he became a full member of the 19th Central Committee and was elevated to the Politburo.[3]