Zhao Yi wasn't feigning respect for Wiles to appear magnanimous.
He had no need to.
Ever since he solved the Goldbach Conjecture, he has been considered one of the world's top mathematicians. He is a scholar renowned for his research, not a star who relies on a constructed persona or good looks. As long as his achievements are impressive enough, his personal traits or appearance are just incidental.
Even if there are stains on his personal life, they don't affect him at all.
That's the difference between a scientist and a celebrity.
What Zhao Yi told the reporters were his true feelings. Wiles's proof which comprises over 100 pages, is definitely remarkable. It contains a large amount of content from various branches of mathematics and is so complex that no one else could fully understand it, which reflects Wiles's level of expertise.
Not every mathematician can produce a mathematical proof that others can't understand and yet can't point out any errors.