Beijing's discomfiture over President Barack Obama taking the helm in Washington has shown itself in a few telling reactions. The mainland media censored parts of his January 20 inauguration speech in which he referred to earlier generations having 'faced down fascism and communism' and to leaders who clung to power 'through corruption and deceit, and the silencing of dissent'.
The same day, Beijing released a defence white paper, complaining about growing US power in Asia. Two days later, in a toughly worded editorial, the English-language China Daily criticised Mr Obama's vision for his country and the world.
'US leaders have never been shy of talking about their country's ambition to be the leader of the world,' the official daily said. However, it predicted Mr Obama would find that the global financial crisis would 'limit his power to act'.
While it criticised what it called a 'wrecking-ball approach to world affairs' of his predecessor, George W. Bush, most observers say Beijing had been content to see human rights glossed over for years as Washington focused on its 'war on terror' and economic concerns.
Although Mr Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have signalled a shift to a less supine stance on human rights, some observers question whether the new administration would be able to follow through on its promise.
'In the current economic crisis, very few people in high office would [rate] human rights issues high,' said University of Hong Kong law professor Fu Hualing.