Ask AI: Tell me a story on what would’ve happened if the President of the People’s Republic of China “Xi Jinping” died in 2020 when the pandemic started?

Title: A Different Path: China After Xi Jinping Once upon a time, in an alternative timeline, the year was 2020, and the world was in the grasp of a global pandemic. Suddenly, tragic news arrived - Xi Jinping, the existing president of the People's Republic of China, had succumbed to an unexpected illness, marking an end to his dominating leadership. In the immediate aftermath, China plunged into a sudden vacuum of power. It was a critical time, with a nation to be governed, and a pandemic to be fought. Li Keqiang, as the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, moved quickly to reassure the nation and the world of China's stability, promising continuity of government. With no clear successor identified by Xi before his abrupt demise, an emergency meeting of the Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee was called for the quick election of a new leader. A former economic development official, known for his pragmatic and reform-oriented policies, Wang Yang, was chosen to be the next President of China. Recognizing the pressing need for a united front against the novel coronavirus, he maintained a clear focus on health and the economy, enacting widespread testing, performing aggressive contact tracing, and providing increased financial support to those affected. Internationally, President Wang's tenure marked a shift to ease strained ties with many countries, openly sharing China's research and data related to the virus. The cooperative medical diplomacy improved China's image globally, as Wang used the opportunity in serving as the new 'flag-bearer' in global health issues. Domestically, Wang carried forward a softer approach than his predecessor, prioritizing internal economic restructuring. He aimed to balance the inequality in economic gains, further bolstering middle-class growth, reducing poverty, and environmental protection. Such positive changes garnered popular support among the general populace who began to envision a new era of 'Open China'. However, the sudden leadership transition was not without challenges. The conservative faction within the Communist Party, used to Xi's assertive and centralized leadership, found it hard to adapt, causing internal political strife. Nevertheless, Wang navigated through these difficulties, maintaining stability during a tumultuous time. While acknowledging Xi Jinping's contributions to the People's Republic, he boldly charted his own path in this newly imagined China. In our parallel universe, the shock of Xi's untimely death marked a critical turning point in Chinese history – an opportunity for renewal amidst a global crisis. And so, the tale of China in a world where President Xi Jinping died in 2020 unfolds; a tale of a nation demonstrating resilience and adaptability during challenging times, under the new leadership convening global unity in the battle against an unprecedented pandemic.