President Obama announced today the appointment of Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke to be the next US Ambassador to China, succeeding former Republican Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman, who has resigned to run for the Republican nomination for President.
Obama thanked Huntsman for his service, and did not joke, as he has done before, about Huntsman’s plan to challenge him for the White House. Huntsman, who speaks Mandarin Chinese, was seen as performing excellently in China, but has now demonstrated presidential ambitions, and on paper, is one of the best choices that the Republicans have, if only they used common sense, which is not seen as likely!
Locke, meanwhile, Chinese American himself, was County Executive of King County, Washington, which includes Seattle, and also served two four year terms as Governor of Washington, and now has served for more than two years as Secretary of Commerce. His experience in the Commerce Department will be an aid to promotion of more equalized trade between the US and China, and he will be the first Chinese ethnic to be ambassador to the nation of his ancestors.
This appointment is one of the most important ambassadorial positions, with the rising role of China economically and in foreign policy and defense, and the nation is fortunate that Obama has made two excellent appointments to this position in his short time as President!