After Xi Jinping took over as head of China's Communist Party in December, some liberals dared to hope that change was in store for the world's most populous nation.
Xi's father, a veteran party leader, had a reputation for open-mindedness and moderation; Xi quickly embraced the idea of economic reform and even seemed to hint at loosening the one-party system.
Almost no one noticed when Xi reportedly told Russian President Vladimir Putin in March that their personalities were similar.