Li Keqiang

The content of the annual press conferences largely stuck to pre-determined questions and scripted replies. But at times, it provided rare moments of honesty.

Authorities appeared to be taking a relatively light approach to the public outpouring of grief at Li's passing, possibly to avoid sparking a larger incident.

Li, who was premier from March 2013 to March 2023, passed away from a heart attack at age 68.

An English-speaking economist, Li was considered a contender to succeed then-Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Jintao in 2013.

Once seen as a potential top leader, Li was increasingly sidelined as Xi accumulated ever-greater powers.

Despite his reputation for being a political weakling, Li deserves credit for successfully championing reformist economic values.

Xi has imposed his own take on unity of the "Chinese dream."

The routine nature and broad scope of the agreements signed by Li Keqiang and Hun Sen reflects the closeness of the relationship between Beijing and Phnom Penh.

Revisiting the resilience of the age limit norm and exploring two counterfactuals.

The Politburo Standing Committee line-up brought a number of surprises, but Xi still seems to have operated within a broad institutional framework.

Turnover norms for Beijing’s top governing body could check Xi’s power and boost pro-market reformers.

China’s leader faces a litany of domestic and international challenges that are creating a gloomy backdrop to his anticipated reselection.