After the death of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, many netizens expressed their condolences and called him "the people's prime minister." However, many people also call Li Keqiang "the weakest prime minister." The sudden death of the Prime Minister less than a year after leaving office also set a record.
Li Keqiang dies suddenly of heart attack in Shanghai.
Li Keqiang, the outgoing Prime Minister who just resigned in March, passed away in Shanghai.
Li Keqiang, who just came to power in 2013, was very ambitious. At his first press conference after taking office, the official media compiled the so-called 10 golden quotes for him, including "A strong man must have the determination to cut off his wrists, and his words must be followed", "Corruption and government credibility" "Fire and water are incompatible" and "I firmly believe that only by being upright and doing things fairly can we benefit the country and the people." It is not difficult to see Li Keqiang's ambition in his words.
Li Keqiang graduated from the Department of Law and the School of Economics of Peking University, majoring in economics. He also holds a doctorate in economics from Peking University. He is the prime minister with the highest academic qualifications since the founding of the Communist Party of China. However, at the end of his ten-year term, Li Keqiang found it difficult to fulfill his ambitions. After leaving office, he was considered "the weakest prime minister." When he delivered a farewell speech inside the State Council on March 2 this year, he lamented in a meaningful way, "People are doing it, and God is watching. It seems that God has eyes!"
Li Keqiang, the Premier of the State Council, who has been hailed as the weakest since the reform, recently delivered a farewell speech inside the State Council and lamented that the sun is shining brightly today, like spring. "People are doing their jobs and God is watching."
Yu Maochun, the former chief adviser on China issues of the US State Department, said in an interview with this station that Li Keqiang’s remarks show that the prime minister is living a very cowardly life and does not have the courage to take the lead! "Just like Zhao Ziyang back then, when the country's future was most critical, he could only cry to everyone and say, I'm late! Li Keqiang is the same, saying that people are doing it and God is watching, which is very helpless."
Yu Maochun said that no matter who came to power, even if the positions of Li Keqiang and Xi Jinping were reversed and Li Keqiang became the general secretary and Xi Jinping became the prime minister, China's situation would not be much better. "Don't forget that before Xi Jinping came to power, many people also placed hope in him and thought he was very practical. But in the CCP's system, no matter what kind of person is placed in the position of the supreme leader, he will become very conservative and deviate historical trend.”
Wu Guoguang, a senior research scholar at the Center for Chinese Economics and Institutions at Stanford University in the United States, retweeted on He retreated bravely from the rapids, but he died in vain. Hengbiao: There is nothing you can do."
Li Keqiang is one step away from taking office
Looking back on that year, as the designated successor of the Tuanpai, Li Keqiang had the opportunity to take over Hu Jintao's baton, but the fate of Xi and Li took a critical turn.
Hu Ping, honorary editor of "Beijing Spring", pointed out in an interview with this station that Li Keqiang was originally recognized as the so-called "fifth generation leader" and everyone thought he would succeed the general secretary. However, in 2007, the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China convened Central Committee members and alternate members and held a meeting at the Party School to issue a list. The names of all cadres under the age of 62 and at or above the provincial or ministerial level were on it. However, the Jiang Zemin and Zeng Qinghong faction did not like the appointment of Li Keqiang, who was selected by Hu Jintao. Under the operation of Zeng Qinghong, who was in charge of the Organization Department, Xi Jinping, who had no enemies, was ranked first.
Hu Ping: "In the past, Xi Jinping had to be compared with Li Keqiang. In terms of academic qualifications, one is a genuine Peking University student and the other is a worker, peasant, and soldier student. Their academic qualifications are not comparable at all. Moreover, Xi Jinping's past career progress was not as good as Li Keqiang's."
Hu Ping analyzed that after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Wang Lijun, deputy mayor of Chongqing and director of the Public Security Bureau, "ran away" to the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu, triggering the Bo Xilai incident. Then Zhou Yongkang, former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China, was dismissed, and Ling Jihua, director of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, collapsed. Jiang and Hu factions have had troubles one after another, and the two forces have offset each other. Once Xi Jinping came to power, he has more power than Jiang and Hu. He serves as the leader of multiple groups and has sidelined the State Council. "Xi Jinping has always said the same thing and adopted a tough stance. From the very beginning, Xi Jinping has become the weakest prime minister."
Xi and Li’s lines are at odds with each other
Although he is known as the "weak prime minister", Li Keqiang still has his own character. During his tenure as prime minister, there were many differences with Xi Jinping's line.
During the 2020 epidemic, China's economy was in recession. In order to increase employment and solve people's food and clothing problems, Li Keqiang promoted the "street stall economy" and encouraged unemployed people to make a living as hawkers. In less than a week, China’s Central Propaganda Department changed its tune one after another. Official media commented that “the street-stall economy cannot start all at once,” which also gave the outside world the impression that Xi Jiajun is attacking Li Keqiang’s line.
When Xi Jinping declared that after victory in poverty alleviation, rural revitalization must be comprehensively promoted. However, at the conclusion of the "Two Sessions" in May 2020, Li Keqiang made shocking remarks at the domestic and foreign press conference, "China is a developing country with a large population. Our per capita annual income is 30,000 yuan, but 600 million people per His monthly income is only 1,000 yuan. It may be difficult to rent a house in a medium-sized city with 1,000 yuan. Now we are encountering an epidemic. After the epidemic, people's livelihood is the most important thing." This move made many grassroots think that he is a leader who is more attentive to public opinion. .
In 2022, Xi Jinping pushed for common prosperity, raising concerns that China will return to the old path of planned economy. In the same year, on the eve of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Li Keqiang met with the envoys stationed in China and said, "China will continue to adhere to the path of peaceful development and adhere to the basic national policy of reform and opening up. No matter how the international situation changes, China's door of opening can only continue to expand. .”
Yu Maochun said that Li Keqiang is the general steward in charge of China's economy and people's livelihood, but under Xi Jinping's rule, such an ambitious person still couldn't do anything. In the end, he made a soft landing and stepped down in a very dishonorable way. Li Keqiang's sudden death was considered by Yu Maochun as a new turning point.
"The political leaders of the Chinese Communist Party have reduced the functions of the prime minister to a very low level and replaced him with a new prime minister. In fact, Xi Jinping himself is in charge of the country's operations and management. Everyone knows that Xi Jinping is not a manager. Wherever he has more control, there will be problems. The bigger it is! Premier Li Keqiang's death seems to be a very coward, which is not a good thing for China," Yu Maochun said.
Hu Ping did not think that Li Keqiang acted aggrieved or cowardly because the political situation of his predecessor Wen Jiabao was unfavorable to him. Hu Ping said that Li Keqiang was marginalized and was undoubtedly a weak prime minister. However, in comparison, the current prime minister is even more weak and is completely the executor of Xi Jinping's policies.
Mount Merapi launched three lava avalanches as far as 1.5 kilometers
Jakarta - The Center for Research and Development of Geological Disaster Technology (BPPTKG) recorded the activity of incandescent lava avalanches that rolled 1.5 kilometers from the top of the crater of Mount Merapi located in Yogyakarta and Central Java.
Mount Merapi Observation Post Officer Triyono said the lava avalanche was recorded during the observation period which took place from 18.00 WIB to 24.00 WIB on October 27 2023.
"Lava avalanches were observed three times in the direction of Kali Bebeng with a maximum sliding distance of 1,500 meters," he said in a report received in Jakarta, Saturday.
Based on seismic observations, 113 earthquake avalanches were recorded with amplitudes ranging from 3 to 25 millimeters and earthquake durations of 33.52 to 117.88 seconds.
Apart from that, 365 hybrid or multiple phase earthquakes were also recorded with an amplitude of 3 to 24 millimeters, SP of 0.4 to 0.8 seconds and an earthquake duration of 4.92 to 11.92 seconds.
Then, there were three distant tectonic earthquakes with an amplitude of 3 to 10 millimeters, SP was not observed, and the earthquake duration was 54.12 to 93.16 seconds.
The current potential danger in the form of lava avalanches and hot clouds in the south-southwest sector includes the Boyong River for a maximum distance of five kilometers, the Bedog, Krasak and Bebeng Rivers for a maximum distance of seven kilometers.
In the southeast sector, it covers the Woro River for a maximum of three kilometers and the Gendol River for five kilometers. Meanwhile, when an explosive eruption occurs, volcanic material can reach a radius of three kilometers from the peak.
BPPTKG urges the public not to carry out any activities in potential danger areas.
"The public should anticipate disturbances due to volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Merapi and be aware of the dangers of lava, especially when it rains around the volcano," concluded Triyono.
Why Chaman-Pak-Afghan border is becoming controversial?
Thousands of people have been protesting for five days in the border town of Chaman in Balochistan, three kilometers away from Bab Dosti on the Pak-Afghan border.
A sit-in has been going on for the last several days in Balochistan 's Chaman district against the decision to make the traffic on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border fully documented and make visas and passports mandatory.
Thousands of people have been protesting for five days in the border town of Chaman in Balochistan, three kilometers away from Bab Dosti on the Pak-Afghan border.
Around 20 parties and organizations, including business organizations, are supporting this round-the-clock sit-in by the Border Trade Workers and Small Traders Association.
These protestors from Chaman city say that the caretaker government has decided to make it illegal for other people, including local residents, to travel on the Chaman-Pak-Afghan border without passports and visas from November 1. It will not be accepted.
Olus Yar, leader of the sit-in of Tajir Laghri Ittehad, while talking to Independent Urdu, said that this decision of the Apex Committee is not acceptable to him in any way.
"It is our plan that this protest will be gradually expanded and may later include wheel jam strikes, demonstrations and marches."
Torkham and Chaman are major crossing points for foot traffic and trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Passports and visas were made mandatory for transit at Torkham border in 2016, but despite several efforts, the Pakistani government could not ensure the application of passports and visas at Chaman border.
At present, at the Chaman Bab Dosti border, residents of Afghan province of Kandahar are allowed to enter Pakistan on Afghan identity document 'Tazkra' and Pakistanis with the address of Chaman on their identity card are allowed to enter Afghanistan.
However, the government of Pakistan has announced under the Apex Committee that from November 1, no one, including the residents of the border areas, will be allowed to travel without a passport and visa.
Balochistan's Caretaker Information Minister John Achakzai said while talking to the media in Chaman yesterday that the government's decision is final and no change is possible.