When China kicks off one of its most important political gatherings of the year on Sunday — the "two sessions" — the country's top leaders, including expected new Premier Li Qiang, will officially be confirmed. But exactly how much power Li will wield as China’s No. 2 and its top economic official remains an open question.
In recent years President Xi Jinping, who also serves as general-secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, has taken control of most aspects of government, a consolidation of power that is expected to continue into his third term as he surrounds himself with trusted allies.
This means that Li is not expected to co-lead alongside Xi but rather serve under him as a loyal supporter, adviser and policy implementer — a departure from the collective leadership ethos seen in the administrations of Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao as well as Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji.