In his parting words, Li Keqiang warns that 'heaven is watching'

 

Set in a former imperial garden, the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing is divided into the south and north courts.
 
The south courtyard is the stronghold of the central organizations of the Chinese Communist Party led by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the north courtyard is home to the State Council, China's government, that has been controlled by Premier Li Keqiang for the past decade.
 
Relations between the two courtyards have always been delicate, but since Xi's era began in 2012 the south courtyard has gained the upper hand. That shift is being further accelerated at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, where legislation to shift powers away from the State Council to the party are being decided.
 
Just ahead of the NPC, Li, the outgoing premier, held a ceremony to bid farewell to 800 or so senior government officials. A video has been circulated on social media of him saying: "Heaven is looking at what humans are doing. The firmament has eyes."
 
Was it a dig at Xi?