Li was born in Wangcheng County, Hunan province. He joined the CCP in 1984, while attending Tsinghua University, where he studied industrial physics and nuclear safety. He has a master's degree in engineering.[citation needed] In July 1989, after completing graduate studies, he became an engineer at the National Nuclear Safety Administration's Beijing office. Between September 1991 and January 1993, he studied in France.[citation needed]
Political career
Between March 1993 and July 1998, he took on a series of successively senior roles at the Nuclear Safety Administration. In 1998 he was sent as a guazhi deputy party secretary of Pingjiang County, Hunan.[citation needed]
In January 1999, Li began working at the office of the Chinese Ambassador to France, specializing in technology affairs. In July 2000, he was transferred to the State Administration for Environmental Protection (SEPA, later established as a ministry). He then took on a series of leading positions specializing in nuclear safety, eventually rising to head of the National Nuclear Safety Administration in December 2006. In March 2008, after reforms, Li took on the concurrent post of Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection.[1]
In October 2016, Li was transferred to become Deputy Party Secretary of Hebei province.[2]
In June 2017, Li was named Minister of Environmental Protection. At the time of his appointment he was the youngest member of the ministerial level officials of the State Council.[3]
In April 2020, Li was appointed the acting Governor of Shandong Province. He was elected as the governor in July.[4]