Mr Xi wants a premier who can manage the economy competently, but on his terms, said Prof Tsang, instead of someone looking to operate independently.
This has curtailed Mr Li’s influence over shaping the country’s economic policies and direction.
MOVING FORWARD
While factions still exist in the Communist Party, their differences however may not be as apparent anymore given Mr Xi’s consolidation of power.
“China used to have a more clearly identifiable system of two or three major factions that had relatively discernible differences on how they approached certain key issues, like growth and state-owned enterprise reform,” said Eurasia Group’s senior China analyst Neil Thomas.
“But now, we really do have a situation where there is one dominant faction under Xi Jinping.”
Because of this, observers expect Mr Xi to stack the top echelons of China’s leadership with loyalists and allies, which means changes in personnel may not signal actual policy shifts, especially key ones that have been personally associated with the president.