WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will nominate Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the next U.S. ambassador to China, senior administration officials said late Monday.
A formal announcement is planned for today in the Diplomatic Reception Room.
The Beijing vacancy was created when Ambassador Jon Huntsman resigned the post, making it clear that he is weighing a bid to challenge Obama for the presidency in 2012.
Huntsman, a Republican, was considered a strong ambassador in one of the most strategically important capitals in the world, with his fluency in Chinese and his extensive knowledge about the region. He plans to leave Beijing in April.
Although Locke has not emerged as a star in the Obama orbit, he is Chinese American and well regarded among China’s business community. He was Obama’s third choice to lead the Commerce Department, after the nomination of Bill Richardson, then the governor of New Mexico, was pulled over ethics concerns and Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., withdrew over policy disagreements.
Locke joined the administration after serving as Seattle’s mayor and Washington state’s governor, in the process becoming the first Asian American elected governor of any state. In both jobs, he worked to establish strong ties with Chinese business interests, and he knows many top officials in that country, especially in government circles.
If confirmed by the Senate, Locke will become the first Cabinet-level agency head to leave his post.
