China | Bowing out

China’s prime minister, Li Keqiang, is about to retire

Under Xi Jinping, he has had little chance to shine

Li Keqiang, China's premier, pauses during a news conference at of the EU-China summit at the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. The EU and China managed to agree on a joint statement for Tuesdays summit in Brussels, papering over divisions on trade in a bid to present a common front to U.S. President Donald Trump, EU officials said. Photographer: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Bloomberg via Getty Images — Image: Getty Images

Mar 2nd 2023

At the opening of the annual session of China’s parliament on March 5th, the prime minister, Li Keqiang, will bow before nearly 3,000 delegates in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, before turning to bow again in the direction of the country’s supreme leader, Xi Jinping. He will then deliver his final state-of-the-nation speech, laced with tributes to Mr Xi. A few days later, Mr Li will be replaced. It will mark the end of a striking era in Chinese politics, when two men with very different family backgrounds, different networks and, seemingly, different worldviews held the two top jobs. After Mr Li, only Mr Xi’s men will have the limelight.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Bowing out”