Veteran Hong Kong columnist and former local National People's Congress deputy Ng Hong-mun has had a 90-minute audience with premier Wen Jiabao which political commentators see as Beijing trying to show it is more open to criticism.
Ng, whose columns in the Chinese-language Ming Pao have been increasingly critical of the Communist Party, visited Wen's office in Beijing on Saturday for a discussion during which, he said, Wen told him the central government lacked people who were willing to tell the truth.
They also touched on sensitive topics such as the forthcoming Hong Kong chief executive election and political reform.
What raised more eyebrows, however, was that Wen's wife, Zhang Peili, was at an event after the meeting and was shown in one of two photographs accompanying a press release issued afterwards.
Zhang, 68, has rarely been seen at any official occasions with the premier, including his visits to foreign countries, which sparked rumours that the couple had divorced.
Political commentators believe, however, it is because Wen has not wanted his political career to be linked with his wife's jewellery business, which could conflict with his carefully maintained frugal image.
Zhang, former vice-president of the Chinese Jewellery Association and the head of a Beijing diamond and jewellery company, reportedly has huge influence in the industry. Wen's predecessors, such as Zhu Rongji and Li Peng , often took their wives overseas.