BEIJING - Many thought he displayed the presence and self-assurance worthy of a statesman coming from a great power. More than a few were bowled over by his talent for remembering his lines as he dished out lengthy answers to reporters on a wide range of foreign policy issues.

But new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s maiden annual meet-the-press session will most likely be remembered for his love of analogy and Chinese philosophy, with which he embellished hard-hitting replies to make them stick.