PRIME Minister Mr Li Peng yesterday had the chance to let his personality shine across China and the world, but let it pass by.
In a rare press conference broadcast live on Chinese television and by CNN, Mr Li, just re-elected to a second five-year term of office, made an effort to exude confidence. And he did fairly well with questions on affairs of state.
But when it came to personal matters, Mr Li appeared uncomfortable, reacting with embarrassed laughter and evading questions.
In fact, he was clearly upstaged by Mr Zhu Rongji, one of the four vice-premiers who also appeared at the conference.
For example Mr Li, who likes to call himself a Marxist, was asked why he was a Marxist and what book by Karl Marx he had read most recently. The premier could not think of a single title.
''I'm both a Marxist and a believer in Mao Zedong thought,'' replied Mr Li.