Li Peng , was the Premier of China between 1987 and 1998, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China from 1998 to 2003 and was second-ranking in the Communist Party of China behind Jiang Zemin on the Politburo Standing Committee until 2002.

Concerned about maintaining social and political stability, Li backed the use of force to quash the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, and due to his relatively uncharismatic personality, Li became one of the least popular Chinese leaders following the protests. Li promoted a cautious approach towards Chinese economic reform. As Premier, he oversaw a rapidly growing economy, with the GDP rising by almost 10% a year.