The former, more about locking in Biden appointees to their course of action, or just doing fairly permanent changes. If you arrest 2 hackers, that makes US interests safer on net. Biden appointees aren't going to pardon them. But if you didn't arrest them, there's a chance a Biden appointee won't pull the trigger to go after them and they slip away.

Things like that. CCP would definitely happily 180 with a smile and handshake if they sensed a more amicable new administration.