Flags at half-mast across China to honour ‘reformist’ leader

Li Keqiang died at 68 from a heart attack in Shanghai last week, less than a year after stepping down as premier.

The flag flies at half-mast for former Chinese premier Li Keqiang at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Thursday. Picture: AFP

Flags flew at half-mast in Beijing on Thursday as China prepared for the funeral of ex-premier Li Keqiang, a reform-minded bureaucrat once tipped to be the country’s future leader but who was eclipsed by Xi Jinping.

Mr Li died at 68 from a heart attack in Shanghai last week, less than a year after stepping down as premier.

A career bureaucrat and fluent English speaker, Mr Li’s support for liberalisation and economic reform often drew contrast with the more centralising and domineering tendencies of Mr Xi’s rule.

But in an obituary, the ruling Communist Party described Mr Xi’s one-time political rival as a “time-tested and loyal communist soldier”. It urged the Chinese people to turn “grief into strength” by rallying even closer around the leadership and the party.

In central Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, flags were flying at half-mast early on Thursday.

State news agency Xinhua reported that flags would fly at half-mast at government buildings across mainland China, as well as in the semi-autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

Mr Li was to be cremated later in the day at a ceremony likely to be attended by the country’s top leadership.

During his time as premier there was a shift from the more consensus-based rule associated with former leaders to the concentrated power of Mr Xi. And the appointment of Xi ally Li Qiang as his successor was seen as a sign Mr Li’s reformist agenda had fallen by the wayside as Beijing tightened its grip over the economy.

Following his death, trending comments included a quote from him in late 2022, when he insisted the process of China’s reform and opening up could not be stopped. “The Yellow River and Yangtze River will not change course,” web users wrote, quoting Mr Li.

Authorities have been on high alert for any hints that public mourning for the reformist could translate into criticism of the current leadership.

On social media platform Weibo on Thursday, more than 20,000 comments were listed under a hashtag commemorating Mr Li shared by state broadcaster CCTV. But only 13 were visible, suggesting discussion was being censored. The comments that remained were distinctly apolitical, wishing the late premier “farewell” and promising he would “forever be in our hearts”.

“China’s good leader, you are the one who has contributed to the country and you will always live in our hearts,” one read.

Elsewhere online, a post from the Communist Youth League of Fujian province listed 50 comments, none of which were visible.

AFP