A veteran politician and a mainland economist on Friday expressed regret over the passing of former premier Li Keqiang, saying he made contributions to the nation's economy as well as Hong Kong affairs.

Former National People's Congress Standing Committee delegate, Tam Yiu-chung, said he was stunned by Li's death. He recalled meeting the former premier in a lift in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"I think he was very easygoing... During his time as premier, Mr Li cared a lot about Hong Kong affairs and he was very supportive of policies that helped Hong Kong's development and integration into the nation," he told RTHK.

Cao Heping, an economist from Peking University, said the late premier helped to stabilise the growth of the world's second-largest economy during his tenure.

"While the Trump administration assumed their position, they actually issued an anti-internationalisation trade policy. That (had) a side effect towards China's growth rate. However, Premier Li led China's administration to adjust a growth path: that means from domestic investment to stimulate domestic growth," he said.

Cao added that Li had guided the nation through difficult times such as the global financial crisis, and rolled out a series of measures to boost employment and domestic consumption.

"He just encouraged the Chinese economy not only take international side as the growth momentum, [but] China should emphasise domestic consumption as the income engine," he said.