Chinese president consolidates power as premier bows out

Once seen as a potential top leader, Mr Li was increasingly sidelined as Xi accumulated ever-greater powers and elevated the military and security services in aid of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang bows after delivering his state of the nation address (Ng Han Guan/AP)

After a decade in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s shadow, Li Keqiang is taking his final bow as the country’s premier, marking a shift away from the skilled technocrats who have helped steer the world’s second-biggest economy in favour of officials known mainly for their unquestioned loyalty to China’s most powerful leader in recent history.

After exiting the ruling Communist Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee in October, despite being below retirement age, Mr Li’s last major task was delivering the state of the nation address to the rubber-stamp parliament on Monday.