Foreign leaders congratulate Li on election as premier

BEIJING - More foreign leaders sent congratulatory messages to Li Keqiang on his election as Chinese premier.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the leaders who have offered congratulations included Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki, Prime Minister of Cape Verde Jose Maria Neves, Djiboutian Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita, Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Dukanovic, and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

The leaders who have sent congratulatory messages also included Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates and constitutional monarch of Dubai; President of the Democratic Party of Japan Banri Kaieda; and Chairman of the Japanese Communist Party Kazuo Shii.

Li was endorsed as Chinese premier Friday at the 12th National People's Congress session.