Li Peng, China’s one-time strongman, dead at 91

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) - One-time Chinese strongman leader Li Peng died Monday in the capital Beijing, state media reported.

Li died at age of 91 at 11:11 p.m. late Monday (1511GMT).

State-run Xinhua news called Li “an excellent [National People's Congress] Party member.”

It added that Li was a time-tested and loyal communist soldier and an outstanding proletarian revolutionary.

Apart from being China's premier, Li served as a member of the State Council and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

He served as premier from 1987 to 1998 -- a time when Beijing witnessed massive pro-democracy protests by students in 1989. He retired from politics in 2003.

Li reportedly declared martial law in Beijing on May 20, 1989 as student protests persisted. The state action led to the June 4 crackdown 4 which led to what is known as the Tiananmen Square massacre.

During his term as premier, Li was said to have been openly at odds with then-party General Secretary Zhao Ziyang.

He was also reported to have played little role in the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997.