Max Baucus, Obama's pick for China envoy, no stranger to Beijing
Obama to nominate long-serving senator who has visited China many times at a time of heightened tensions between the two nations
President Barack Obama has turned to a 72-year-old senator with strong China experience to be his next ambassador to Beijing at a time of heightened tension between the two countries, analysts said yesterday.
Long-serving senator Max Baucus - named by Democratic Party officials as Obama's nominee for the sensitive post - has rich experience dealing with Chinese trade and has visited the country eight times, most recently in 2010 when he met then vice-president Xi Jinping , now the nation's president.
"Baucus has substantial experience and a strong record on trade issues, including with China," said Yun Sun, a US-based research fellow who knows Baucus. "He has been to China many times, so Beijing is definitely no stranger for him."
If confirmed, Baucus would succeed Gary Locke, whose resignation last month after 21/2 years in the job surprised many.
Baucus sidestepped questions about the ambassadorship when asked on Capitol Hill. "It's not for me to comment on … This happens every once in a while. Names get floated around," he said. There was no immediate comment from the White House.
Baucus is a Democrat who has been in the Senate since 1978 and has been the party's leading voice on trade policy since 2001.