Profile: Li Keqiang: A man who puts people first (7)

（Xinhua） 09:46, December 24, 2012

File photo taken on Dec. 15, 2009 shows Li Keqiang (3rd R, front) is seen on his way to a construction site after attending the inauguration ceremony of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao bridge in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

By including food safety in the performance assessment system for local governments, as well as cracking down on offenders, China has begun to see progress in curbing food safety scandals.

In early 2009, the world was caught off-guard by a new influenza A virus, with the World Health Organization issuing its highest influenza pandemic alert.

Not long after its outbreak in North America, the virus was transmitted to China, throwing the Chinese into a panic reminiscent of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003.

Li decisively implemented joint prevention by all relevant departments and urged the quick development of vaccines, which stopped the spread of the virus and minimized its impact on China.

This triumph has been lauded as an exemplary emergency response to a sudden public health incident.

As China's current reforms involve a more complicated problem of interests, analysts say knowledge and a broad horizon are as important in Chinese leaders as courage and resources.