BEIJING -- Certain top Chinese Communist Party officials voluntarily stepped down from leadership, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported, apparently referring to the surprise retirements of Premier Li Keqiang and previous No. 4 Wang Yang.
The departures of Li and Wang from the Politburo Standing Committee, the party's top decision-making body, before the traditional retirement age of 68 had caused a stir, particularly with 69-year-old President Xi Jinping staying on as party chief.
