A new role for China's first-lady-to-be Peng Liyuan

China is likely to have a more high-profile first lady and first family after Xi Jinping succeeds Hu Jintao as president in March, following his elevation to the post of Communist Party general secretary next month.

Xi's wife, folk singer Peng Liyuan , is better known than her husband to most mainlanders, but she has adopted a lower profile since he became vice-president in 2008.

Overseas media said Americans were disappointed in February when the 49-year-old soprano was not part of Xi's delegation when he visited Washington, because the outside world has long been curious about the future first lady.

Peng, a legend of contemporary Chinese folk singing since she was just 18 years old, was one of the first people on the mainland to obtain a master's degree in ethnic music and has been recognised as a "national first-degree performer".

A former soldier, she was also the youngest civilian to be given the rank of major general in the People's Liberation Army, owing to her background in the military's performing arts troupes. She is also president of the PLA political department's performing arts troupe.

Peng was a regular on China Central Television's New Year Gala from the show's inception in 1983 but has faded into the background since her husband's promotion to vice-president four years ago. The gala is the most watched TV programme on the mainland, attracting more than 700 million viewers a year.