Obama to name Commerce secretary ambassador to China
Gary Locke would succeed former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who recently resigned his post.
President Obama intends to nominate Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the next U.S. ambassador to China, an administration source confirmed late Monday.
He would succeed former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has stepped down from the key U.S. diplomatic post. Huntsman is considering a run for the Republican nomination for president in 2012.
Locke is a former two-term governor of Washington state who has specialized in U.S.-China business relations. His grandfather emigrated to the United States from China, working first as a servant in exchange for English lessons, according to Locke's official biography.
The appointment would require Senate confirmation.
Locke earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Yale University and a law degree from Boston University.