View source for Li Peng

==Early career==
In 1941, Li Peng began studying at the Yan'an Institute of Natural Science (a predecessor of the [[Beijing Institute of Technology]]).{{Sfn|Bartke|1987|p=235}} In July 1946, Li was sent to work in [[Zhangjiakou]]. According to his own recollection, in 1947, he journeyed through Shandong and North Korea, eventually ending up in Harbin where he began managing some work for a lard processing plant. In 1948, Li Peng was sent to study at the [[Moscow Power Engineering Institute]], majoring in [[hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] engineering. A year later, in 1949, Zhou Enlai became Premier of the newly declared People's Republic of China.{{Sfn|Barnouin|Yu|2006|p=126}} Li graduated in 1954. During his time in the [[Soviet Union]], Li was the head of the Chinese Students Association in the Soviet Union.{{Sfn|Mackerras|McMillen|Watson|1998|p=136}}

When Li returned to China in 1955, the country was firmly under the control of the Communist Party. Li took part in technical, then management work in the power industry, beginning his career in Northeast China. At the outset of the [[Cultural Revolution]], Li was sent to Beijing to head up the municipal power bureau.{{Sfn|Mackerras|McMillen|Watson|1998|p=136}} He played a leading role in the construction of the Tuhe Powerplant in [[Tangshan]] and the Gaojing Powerplant in Beijing.<ref name="dw22july">{{cite news |script-title=zh:六四强硬派李鹏逝世 三大争议亟待盖棺论定 |url=http://news.dwnews.com/china/news/2019-07-23/60142364.html |work=Duowei |date=22 July 2019}}</ref> During his time at Gaojing, he worked three days and three nights supervising the construction of the site. On 4 October 1974, he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle home from work.<ref name="dw22july"/> In 1976, Li was dispatched to affected regions of the [[Tangshan earthquake]] as head of the power restoration efforts.<ref name="dw22july"/>

Li advanced politically after the ascent of [[Deng Xiaoping]], and served as the Vice Minister and later Minister of Power, the [[Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary|Communist Party secretary]] of the North China Electric Power Administration Bureau between 1979 and 1983, as well as the vice minister of Water Conservancy and Power between 1982 and 1983.<ref name=":0" /> Much of Li's rapid political promotion was due to the support of Party elder [[Chen Yun]].<ref name=":0" />

Li joined the [[Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party|Central Committee]] at the [[12th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party|12th Party National Congress]] in 1982. In 1983, he became the vice premier. In 1984, he was put in charge of the newly established State Council [[Leading Small Group]] on the Electronics Industry.{{Sfn|Gewirtz|2022|p=129}} In 1985 he was named minister of the State Education Commission, and was elected to the [[Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party|Politburo]] and the Party Secretariat. In 1986, he advocated that "China should rely mainly on its own products to push ahead with the modernization drive instead of importing large amounts of foreign equipment."{{Sfn|Gewirtz|2022|p=136}} In 1987, after the [[13th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party|13th Party National Congress]], Li became a member of the powerful [[Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party|Politburo Standing Committee]].{{Sfn|Gewirtz|2022|p=182}}