Hong Kong CNN —Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, once seen as a reform-minded contender to the country’s top leadership role, died of a sudden heart attack early Friday in Shanghai, state media reported. 2 leader until late last year, served as the country’s premier – traditionally in charge of the economy – for a decade from 2013 to March this year under strongman leader Xi Jinping. Under Hu, Li was named to the party’s top central leadership body the Politburo Standing Committee in 2007. Then 67, Li was one year short of the unofficial retirement age for senior Chinese Communist Party leaders. He was succeeded as premier earlier this year by former Shanghai party chief and Xi loyalist Li Qiang.

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Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Li Keqiang, Li, Xi Jinping, ” Li, “, Xi, Xi’s, Hu Jintao, Hu, nodded, Mao Zedong, China’s princelings, Li Qiang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong CNN — Former, Peking University, Communist Party’s Youth League, Communist Party Congress, Dongling, Brigade, Communist Youth League Central Committee, Communist Party, party’s, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Hong Kong, Shanghai, United States, China, Liaoning, Henan, Anhui