Obama Nominates Locke as New China Ambassador

U.S. President Barack Obama has nominated Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the new American ambassador to China.

At the White House Wednesday, Mr. Obama said Locke is the right person to continue America's efforts to boost cooperation with China. He said he can think of no one who is more qualified than Locke.

The president noted how Locke's grandfather came to the United States from China and worked as a domestic servant in the western state of Washington. He says a century later, Locke will return to China as the top American diplomat.

If confirmed by the Senate, Locke would be the first Chinese-American to hold the post of U.S. ambassador to China.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said he expects Locke to win Senate approval, describing him as supremely qualified.

Locke said he will perform his duties, in his words, “as a devoted and passionate advocate for America, the country where I was born and raised.”

Locke would replace Jon Huntsman, who is resigning next month and who is seen as a possible Republican challenger to Mr. Obama in the next presidential election.

Locke previously served two terms as the governor of Washington. He visited China several times during his time in state office and is credited with boosting trade between the country and his state.

He also traveled to China last year on a trade mission to promote American clean energy business. As commerce secretary, Locke has pushed China to drop trade barriers and to do more to protect intellectual property rights.

Chinese media had mostly favorable reactions to news of Locke's appointment. China's former envoy to the United States, Zhou Wenzhong, was quoted inThe Beijing News on Wednesday calling Locke knowledgeable and friendly toward China.

But scholar Yuan Peng warned in China'sGlobal Times that Locke may try to use his heritage and “Chinese-looking face” to “swindle” the Chinese people.