Gary Locke with President Barack Obama
Charles Dharapak/AP
President Obama officially nominated Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as ambassador to China on Wednesday, making Locke the first Chinese American to act as Washington’s envoy to the Middle Kingdom.
If confirmed by the Senate, Locke will replace Jon Huntsman after he steps down on April 30th. The Republican Huntsman is expected to weigh a presidential bid.
In his announcement, Obama said, “”More than 100 years ago, Gary’s grandfather left China on a steamship bound for America, where he worked as a domestic servant in Washington State. A century later, his grandson will return to China as America’s top diplomat.”
‘When he’s in Beijing, I know that American companies will be able to count on him to represent their interests in front of China’s top leaders.”
Locke is used to shattering boundaries – he was not only the first Chinese American governor of Washington, but also the first Chinese American Commerce Secretary. As governor, Locke made many trips to China (the state has a close economic relationship with China), and has also been lauded for his role in the rise in US exports to China.
“I’m going back to the birthplace of my grandfather and father, and I’ll be doing so as a devoted and passionate advocate for America, the country where I was born and raised,” said Locke in a statement. “I’m eager to continue that work in China, and to help you, Mr. President, manage one of America’s most critical and complex diplomatic, economic and strategic relationships.”
