Washington's tough policy stance on Beijing is unlikely to change following US President Donald Trump's naming of Robert O'Brien as his new national security adviser, observers say.
While the US State Department's top hostage negotiator is a China hawk, O'Brien is considered less confrontational than his predecessor, John Bolton, who is widely reported to have disagreed with Trump on a range of policies, including Iran and North Korea.
Diplomatic observers in China said O'Brien's selection suggested that Trump would remain the core decision-maker within his administration.
"O'Brien is much less experienced on foreign policy and national security compared with his predecessors like HR McMaster and Bolton, and much more low profile," said Shi Yinhong, director of the Centre on American Studies at Renmin University of China.
"So he could take care of specific issues, but it would be hard for him to offer advice on issues related to national security and diplomatic strategies. But perhaps that what Trump needs."
Trump was full of confidence in his selection when he announced the appointment.
"I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!" the president posted on Twitter, soon after publishing a tweet saying the US would "substantially" increase sanctions on Iran in response to an attack Saturday on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities. Iran denies involvement in the attack.
Speaking from the tarmac of an airport in Los Angeles, Trump said he had been impressed with O'Brien's work in securing the release of American citizens detained and imprisoned overseas.
Standing beside the president, O'Brien said: "We've got a number of challenges but there's a great team in place.
"I look forward to working with them and the president to keep America safe and continue to rebuild our military, and really get us back to a peace-through-strength posture that will keep the American people safe from the many challenges around the world today."
Shi said that as the new national security adviser " Trump's fourth in less than three years " O'Brien would be unlikely to make any major changes to the relationship between China and the US, which has slumped to its lowest point in decades because of the trade war and the two nations' growing rivalry on geopolitical and ideological fronts.
"Traditionally, it is the president, vice-president or the defence secretary who is in charge of formulating US security policy regarding China," he said.