People in inland China have paid their respects to former Premier Li Keqiang who died in Shanghai on Friday.

The country's state media report that Li suffered a heart attack and died shortly after midnight at the age of 68.

In the city of Hefei, Anhui Province, where Li spent his childhood, a long line of mourners came to pay their respects to the former premier on Saturday.

They laid flowers with messages praying for the repose of his soul.

Among the mourners was a woman in her 40s who came with her child. She said Li's death made her heart sink, and she wanted to offer flowers in his memory.

Police officers were deployed.

Last year, gatherings in Shanghai and other cities to mourn victims of a fire which occurred under China's zero coronavirus policy developed into mass protests.

The Chinese government is apparently trying to prevent ceremonies honoring Li from developing into anti-government protests.