The brother of Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Li Keming, has been removed as deputy head of China's powerful state tobacco monopoly, the Xinhua news agency has reported, possibly to make sure that the senior leadership is not tainted by association with smoking in China, the world's biggest tobacco user.

The move was announced as a number of senior cadres were shuffled around by the state council, China’s cabinet. Li Keming was named chairman of the board of supervisors for key large-sized state-owned enterprises.

There are more than 300 million smokers in China. Tobacco revenues amounted to up to 10 per cent of government revenues in 2013, but the anti-smoking lobby is growing powerful and the leaders may have wanted to distance themselves from the practice.

The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration controls the the China National Tobacco Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of cigarettes. – (Reuters)