The article evaluates mutual perception of the United States and China in the XXI century, based on content analysis of American and Chinese media. The research methodology includes both content and event analysis. To conduct content analysis we used leading weekly news magazines of US and China - “Newsweek” and “Beijing Review”. The events, limiting the time frame of analysis are Barack Obama's re-election to the second term in 2012, and the entry of Xi Jinping as the chairman of China in 2013. As a result, we have analyzed the issues of each magazine one year before and after the events respectively. Thematic areas covered by articles (politics, economy, culture), as well as stylistic coloring titles of articles are examined. Following the results of the analysis China confidently perceives itself in the international arena. In turn, the US are committed by emphasizing speed and power of the Chinese point out the negative consequences of such a jump (“growing pains”), on the challenges facing China in domestic and foreign policy, in order to create a negative image of China in the minds of American citizens.

foreign policy, event-analysis, online media, image, leadership succession in the PRC, elections in the USA