China's State Council released a statement on its website on April 16, 2015, of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's meeting with China's bureaucrats this week. At times speaking in a “harsh” tone , he blamed them for tying up Beijing’s policy directives in red tape, delay and archaic approval procedures that are putting off much-needed restructuring. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang often interrupted subordinates. He said: “In some cases after the senior leaders study an issue for over a year it takes another year to get the implementation procedures settled. Isn’t this ridiculous?” He added that “Before we can simplify administrative procedures and delegate authority to lower levels of government, we really need a revolution in our own thinking.” According to the report posted on the website, much of Li Keqiang's anger was directed toward officials at the division chief rank, a middling step on the bureaucratic ladder. Analysts commented that in the shadow play of Chinese politics, however, the intended target for his message may in fact have been higher-ups suspected of quietly encouraging resistance among division chiefs.