Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama will nominate Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the next U.S. ambassador to China to succeed Jon Huntsman, who will step down on April 30, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN on Monday.
Locke is a former two-term governor of Washington and the first Chinese-American to be commerce secretary, according to the Commerce Department website.
He also was a partner in the international law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where he co-chaired the firm's China practice, the website said.
Huntsman, a former Republican governor of Utah, is believed to be considering a presidential run in 2012.
Whatever. We all know Obama will handle China with kid gloves, to get them to support our debt, which Obama tries to expand, daily!
Good choice. I didn't have a chance to comment on Senator Lugar. I want him as Secretary of Defense after Secretary Gates retires.
The obvious first reaction is that a Chinese-American would make a good American ambassador to China. Buddha only knows what will happen in the confirmation process.