Just booked an award ticket for PEK-SFO for April as CA is the only one that has a seat for the date I wanted! I called the US service center to get my seat assignment and asked if there is a way to see my reservation online. The nice agent told me it is not possible because the ticket was not issued by CA, and I won't be able to check in online either.
From reading this site, ground experience in Beijing would be as unpleasant as I recently experienced in Shanghai flying AA to LAX (no special boarding line for F passengers). Guess I shouldn't expect much :-)