Li Keqiang, former premier of China, dies aged 68

Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has died after suffering a heart attack at the age of 68, state media reported Friday. A reform-minded bureaucrat, Li served as premier for 10 years under President Xi Jinping.

Xinhua news agency said Li had a sudden heart attack on Thursday and passed away in the early hours of Friday in Shanghai, where he had been resting.

During his time as premier, Li cultivated an image as a more modern apparatchik compared to his stiffer colleagues. He spoke fluent English and had voiced support for economic reforms during his time in office.

Li Keqiang served as premier during Chinese President Xi Jinping's first two five-year terms. (Credit: Reuters photo)

Li, the son of a minor party official in eastern China's poor Anhui province, was sent to the countryside to work as a manual labourer during China's 'Cultural Revolution.'

He went on to gain a law degree from Peking University. Li later joined the ranks of officialdom in the mid-80s.

Li rose to become the party's top official in Henan and in Liaoning province in the northeast, both of which saw economic growth, before being promoted to become a deputy to then-premier.