Obama appoints Commerce Secretary Locke to China post

Mar 9, 2011, 16:23 GMT

US President Barack Obama, with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L), listens as US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke (C) delivers remarks after being named the US Ambassador to China during a statement in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, on 09 March 2011. Secretary Locke replaces Republican Jon Huntsman who is stepping down and thinking about running for president in 2012. EPA/SHAWN THEW

Washington - US President Barack Obama named Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Wednesday to become the next ambassador to China.

Locke, 61, is of Chinese descent and has worked with Beijing in developing economic and trade relations while serving in Obama's cabinet. His nomination requires the US Senate's approval.

'I can think of nobody who is more qualified than Gary Locke,' Obama said.

Locke would replace Jon Hunstman, the former governor of Utah scheduled to leave the post in April. There has been speculation Huntsman will seek the Republican nomination to run against Obama, a Democrat, in 2012.

Locke was twice elected governor of Washington state, holding the job from 1997 to 2005. He was the first Asian American to become governor of a state. He has headed the Commerce Department since March 2009.

Ambassador to China is one of America's most important diplomatic posts, as the Obama administration tries to open up more business opportunities to create jobs at home. Even as the two countries spar for influence in Asia, they have worked together varyingly to rein in the nuclear activities of Iran and North Korea.

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