Vice-Premier Li Keqiang's first visit to Hong Kong came in the 1980s in his capacity as director for the School Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and Secretary-General of the All-China Students Federation.

In 1999, Li became the governor of Henan province. During his tenure he enjoyed close interaction with the Hong Kong business community.

Between 2004 and 2007, while serving as Party secretary of Northeast China's Liaoning province, Li strengthened relations with the Hong Kong business community even further. He invited Hong Kong enterprises to participate in the renovation of old industrial bases in the northeast and restructuring State-owned enterprises.

Subsequently, as a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and vice-premier, Li presided over the opening ceremony of the second line of the West-East Gas Transmission Line and the commencement of work on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in 2009.