Can Wife Cheng Hong Uncover the Truth Behind Li Keqiang’s Death?

On October 27, 2023, a large screen on a street in Beijing displays the obituary of Li Keqiang. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

[People News] Recently, a letter has reportedly surfaced overseas, allegedly written by Cheng Hong, wife of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, addressed to the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission. In the letter, she expresses that the widespread online allegations about Li Keqiang’s assassination have left her sleepless and deeply troubled. While she admits she cannot verify the claims, she urges the Party Central Committee to launch a thorough investigation.

The rumours Cheng Hong refers to involve an online exposé by a mysterious source using the alias “Nothing Much to Say.” The source claims to have been part of a six-member team tasked with “Operation 23107”—an alleged mission to assassinate Li Keqiang on orders from top-level authorities.

According to the exposé, the team used a heart-disrupting agent, secretly placing it in Li Keqiang’s water before his swim. The chemical caused irreversible cardiac issues, simulating a “sudden myocardial infarction.” After inducing the heart attack, the team performed a fake emergency rescue and sent him to Shanghai’s Shuguang Hospital (Pudong branch), where he was declared dead. The source claimed this specific hospital had been pre-selected in advance.

Although the authenticity of these claims cannot be confirmed, the logic and symptoms described in the leak seem consistent with the official account of Li Keqiang’s death.

Clearly, Cheng Hong either saw or heard about this explosive allegation, and perhaps already harboured doubts about her husband's cause of death. As a result, she chose to write this petition letter. So, was this letter truly written by Cheng Hong herself? If so, why did she choose this particular moment to write it?

In the author's view, whether or not the letter was actually written by Cheng Hong is not particularly important. If it was indeed written by her, then seeking justice for her husband is perfectly justified. If it was written by someone else using her name, yet Cheng Hong has not refuted it, this also suggests there is more to the story—at the very least, the person behind it likely has inside knowledge.

Another intriguing point is the timing: Why would Cheng Hong wait over a year after Li Keqiang’s suspicious death in 2023 to submit her letter? The likely reason is the current political shift in Beijing, where Xi Jinping is believed to have lost control, and figures like Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, and Zhang Youxia now hold the reins.

Two key points from the letter reinforce suspicions that Li Keqiang’s death was orchestrated from the highest levels of power:

1. Cheng recounts how, in the days leading up to his death, Li Keqiang often mentioned fears that something would happen to him. Staff around him were frequently replaced, with unfamiliar faces constantly appearing nearby.

   Who has the authority to reshuffle the security detail of a former premier? Why would they do so? The biggest suspect naturally points to Xi Jinping, who long feared the “Xi down, Li up” scenario.

2. Cheng states that it was Xi Jinping who insisted that Li Keqiang go to Shanghai for an inspection tour around the time of his death.

   Why was that particular trip so crucial? What arrangements had been made behind the scenes?

These doubts are not unfounded. In October 2023, immediately after Li Keqiang’s sudden death, various online sources claimed he had been poisoned. Former Chinese journalist Zhao Lanjian reported that Li Keqiang had actually died on October 26 (not the 27th), before he even arrived at the hospital. He said the poison was administered by the Shanghai Armed Police under the command of General Chen Yuan—who allegedly acted on orders from Central Military Commission Vice Chairman He Weidong, a fellow native of Jiangxi province.

Other leaks suggest that Li Keqiang's security at the Dongjiao State Guesthouse in Shanghai was managed by the Central Security Bureau, implying that its chief—Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong—ordered the assassination. Allegedly, a month prior, Politburo Standing Committee member and Secretariat Secretary Cai Qi had already instructed the drafting of Li Keqiang’s eulogy. This coincides with reports that official media outlets had prematurely tested headlines about Li’s death online.

It's widely known that He Weidong, Wang Xiaohong, and Cai Qi are staunch allies of Xi Jinping. If these men are implicated, their actions could be verified through a proper investigation.

Possibly aware of all these rumours, Cheng Hong requested in her letter that a special investigative task force be created—preferably under military leadership—to uncover the truth about her husband's death and publish the findings. This request implies she knows Xi no longer controls the military, that He Weidong has already fallen from grace, and that Zhang Youxia has turned against Xi. If the probe were left to Xi loyalists in the Ministry of State Security or the Ministry of Public Security, the outcome would likely be a cover-up.

So, can Cheng Hong’s demands be met? Will the truth about Li Keqiang’s death ever be made public? The author believes that although her request is reasonable, the answer depends on how those currently in power decide to deal with Xi Jinping.

If the new leadership opts to “preserve the Party,” they may let Xi quietly exit the stage without holding him accountable, including in the matter of Li Keqiang’s death. In that case, the truth will remain hidden, and Cheng Hong might only receive a private explanation, with appeals to “think of the bigger picture.” But what will Cheng Hong do if she cannot accept a buried truth?

On the other hand, if Xi Jinping is not allowed to exit unscathed, then the real story behind Li Keqiang’s death may finally come to light.

Reportedly, Cheng Hong ended her letter by recalling Li Keqiang’s words upon leaving office: “People do things, Heaven watches.” Indeed, those who betray their conscience—regardless of rank—will ultimately face retribution. And those who help conceal the truth will not escape consequences either. △

(First published by The People News)