October 28, 2023
Condolence Message on the Passing of Former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda sent a condolence message on the passing of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who died on October 27, 2023. He was 68 years old.
Mr. Li, who grew up in Anhui province as the
son of a local official, studied at the prestigious Peking University, where he
earned a law degree and later a doctorate in economics. He entered national
leadership in 2007 when he was elected to the Standing Committee of China’s
Political Bureau. Prior to that he was secretary of the Communist Party
Committee of Henan and Liaoning provinces. He became premier in 2013 and served
in that capacity until March 2023.
Mr. Li met with President Ikeda at the former
Seikyo Press building in Tokyo in 1985 when he visited Japan as deputy head of
a Chinese youth delegation.
In his message, Mr. Ikeda conveyed his
heartfelt condolences and recalled his encounter with Mr. Li. He expressed his
sincere hope that the Chinese youth, who will lead the next generation, will
work together with the youth of other countries toward the creation of a
beautiful world.
[Adapted from an
article in the October 28, 2023, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan]
