Profile: Li Keqiang: A man who puts people first

（Xinhua）  09:04, December 24, 2012

BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) --His toughness in advancing complex reforms, as well as his social warmth and scholarly temperament have made him a major figure in China's political arena.

Calling reform "the biggest dividend for China," Vice Premier Li Keqiang has used different occasions to facilitate reforms since being re-elected in mid-November as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

"Reform is like rowing upstream. Failing to advance means falling back," he said at a symposium on advancing comprehensive reforms.

"Those who refuse to reform may not make mistakes, but they will be blamed for not assuming their historical responsibility," he said.

China's new wave of reform has begun with curbing bureaucracy in meetings. When presiding over meetings, Li forbids officials to read prepared speeches, encourages them to take the floor freely and asks incisive and persistent questions to get to the bottom of matters.
In a meeting on China's HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, he encouraged representatives from nongovernmental organizations to talk more about their problems, even though this delayed his appointment with other officials.