Teaching Chinese Elite Politics through Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China

Using the political career of Li Qiang as a case study, this article examines how elite recruitment and leadership selection operate within the Chinese Communist Party. It explores how administrative experience, local governance, political loyalty, personal trust, guanxi, and institutional evaluation shaped Li Qiang’s rise from provincial leadership to the premiership. Particular attention is given to his experience in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shanghai, including the Tesla Gigafactory and the controversial 2022 COVID-19 lockdown, as examples of economic and crisis governance. The article also considers Li’s international role and the broader question of political succession under Xi Jinping. Rather than interpreting his promotion solely as the result of either meritocracy or personal loyalty, the article presents it as the product of several interconnected factors. Designed for classroom use, the article concludes with key concepts, discussion questions, assessment strategies, and a simulation activity on leadership selection in contemporary China.