Chinese President Xi Jinping is facing his ultimate test with the Wuhan coronavirus. Will he pass?

Unlike in the United States and elsewhere, it's unusual for a Chinese leader to personally proclaim his involvement in countrywide matters. Not only is it considered self-evident, but he also doesn't need to -- state-run media produces fawning coverage of his every move on a daily basis.

But on Tuesday, that's precisely what Chinese President Xi Jinping did, telling the visiting head of the World Health Organization he had "always been personally in command" and always "personally organizing deployments" in China's effort to contain the deadly Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.Since the coronavirus epidemic turned into a national crisis on January 20, when a government adviser confirmed the possibility on live television of human-to-human transmission, Xi has maintained something of a low profile, rarely appearing in newscasts connected to the outbreak. 

He has issued "important instructions" at least three times on the outbreak and chaired a conclave of top officials to discuss government responses on Lunar New Year's Day, which fell on January 25 this year.

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