China president Xi Jinping is making premier Li Qiang his top messenger on world stage

Three years ago, Chinese Premier Li Qiang took on a role largely stripped of its former glory. Now, in a surprise twist, he’s becoming President Xi Jinping’s top emissary on the world stage. When filling in for Mr Xi, however, Mr Li hasn’t always enjoyed the same level of engagement as his boss, possibly because he’s not a full counterpart to other heads of states. Still, Mr Li’s platform as an economic official could be useful in keeping talks away from more sensitive diplomatic issues, said Dylan Loh, associate professor at NTU Singapore. “Sending Li Qiang will help in some ways ensure the task remains economically focused,” he added.

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