Chinese president consolidates power as premier bows out

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