After the stirring promises Zhu Rongji made a year ago when appointed premier, Monday's NPC performance left a sense of disappointment among many Chinese watching on television.
'He was so different. There was a lot of empty talk and boasting but nothing new,' said one.
Most of Mr Zhu's words were clearly directed towards a foreign audience, especially in the United States. There was little to bolster the spirits of ordinary Chinese struggling with a fast slowing economy and rising unemployment.
Last year Mr Zhu outlined a detailed plan of action but this time there was almost nothing apart from some vague talk of opening up banking and telecommunications to foreigners. It gave some the impression the government had run out of ideas and was floundering.
Proceedings lasted 11 days, probably the shortest session in 20 years.
In most areas mentioned last year, such as social welfare insurance, the ending of state housing allocation, the downsizing of the bureaucracy, there is little to show. Even on the important task of returning state owned enterprises to profitability within three years, Mr Zhu has been unable to stop losses escalating.