US Ambassador to China Will Step Down Early 2014.

[elleng]

Source: nyt/ap

The American ambassador to China said Wednesday he will step down from his post early next year to rejoin his family in Seattle.

Gary Locke said that he informed President Barack Obama of his decision when they met earlier this month.

Locke, who is married with three children, took up the post in August 2011 and was the first Chinese-American to hold it.

Locke said in a statement that he was proud of what the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China have accomplished, including increasing U.S. exports to China, promoting Chinese investment in the U.S. and reducing waiting times for a visa to three to five from highs of 70-100 days, which has "significantly increased" Chinese business and tourism travel there.

He said that during his tenure embassy officials advanced American values by meeting with religious leaders and human rights lawyers and visiting Tibetan and Uighur ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/11/19/world/asia/ap-as-china-us-ambassador.html?hp

[MADem]

1. So THAT's where he went....

He'd make a good Vice President....

[davidpdx]

2. It would be the first Asian-American on the ticket

and someone from the west-coast (finally!)

[MADem]

3. Yeah...Ronnie Reagan was a zombie, so he doesn't count!

But GL does have cachet, and now he's got foreign policy experience, too. He's hugely personable, if he has no skeletons in the closet, he could be a play-ah~!

[Left Coast2020]

4. I got to interview him back in 97 when he was governor in Washington State

There was a big economic battle going on to bring a metals recycling facility to somewhere near Aberdeen or Longview. Forgot where. But legislature was in session to come up with the usual tax breaks to lure them to the area--which was very depressed then. So while I was reporting on the session, I got to interview him. Really personable. Was surprised to see Mr. O nominate him for the post since I thought he dropped out of politics altogether.

Yes, he would be a good VP pick.