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Reuters
Reuters
Politics
By Tony Munroe and Yew Lun Tian

After COVID lockdown, eyes on Shanghai chief at party congress

Li Qiang Xi Jinping Li Keqiang Party Shanghai China Communist Party Congress Politburo Standing Committee
FILE PHOTO: Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 9, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

Once seen as a sure bet for elevation to China's elite Politburo Standing Committee or even as the country's next premier, Li Qiang's glide path to the upcoming Communist Party Congress was buffeted by Shanghai's grinding two-month COVID-19 lockdown.

As the top official in China's commercial hub and its most populous city, Li's position as Shanghai party chief has traditionally been a stepping stone towards a top-two role in China's power structure - including for Xi Jinping himself.

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