As China prepared to cremate former Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday, skepticism among some residents of his hometown over the official account of his death showed a lack of trust in the ruling Communist Party.
A number of mourners in eastern Anhui province this week expressed doubt that the former No. 2 official died of a heart attack — the reason given in a government statement Friday. Li found himself sidelined by President Xi Jinping before exiting the Politburo Standing Committee — China’s most powerful body — a year ago despite being young enough to stay on.