Member of the Political Bureau of the 15th CPC Central Committee; President of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Li's father Li Weihan did revolutionary work along with Mao Zedong. His mother died of illness in the Soviet's Soviet-German War. He spent his childhood at a kindergarten in Yan'an.

In 1961, Li returned to China from Czechoslovakia after completing his studies there, and worked in the Ministry of Electronics Industry for a long time. He took part in the development of China's first integrated circuit and super-speed integrated circuit series that won a prize at the 1978 National Science Conference.

After the "cultural revolution" ended in 1976, Li became chief engineer and deputy director of a research institute under the Ministry of Electronics Industry and, for a time, was deputy director of the Shenyang City Science and Technology Commission. He was secretary of the CPC Committee of Shenyang City in 1981 and, two years later, secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee, being one of the youngest secretaries of China's provincial Party committees.

He was co-opted member of the CPC 12th Central Committee in 1985. Later that year, he became minister of Electronics Industry. He was appointed minister in Charge of the State Commission for Restructuring the Economy in April 1987, head of the Housing System Reform Leading Group of the State Council in 1991. He also served as director of the Central Committee for Patriotic Public Health Campaign.

Li Tieying was appointed minister in charge of the State Commission for Restructuring the Economy in April 1987. One year later, he was transferred to be minister in charge of the State Education Commission. In 1993-1998, he was again served as minister in charge of the State Commission for Restructuring the Economy.

Li was State Councilor in 1988-1998.

He was member of 12th to 15th CPC Central Committees. He has been member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since 1988.

Li was made honorary president of Mao Zedong Academy of the Arts in December 1997.

Li was appointed president of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in March 1998.