A diplomatic star is born in Chinese first lady

BEIJING (AP) — Glamorous new first lady Peng Liyuan has emerged as Chinese diplomacy’s latest star, charming audiences and cutting a very different profile from her all-but invisible predecessors on her debut official visit abroad to Russia.

A celebrated performer on state television, Peng featured prominently in Sunday’s Chinese media coverage of husband and President Xi Jinping’s activities in Moscow. The visit is Xi’s first since he assumed the presidency earlier this month.