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US-China relations
ChinaDiplomacy

China awaits a new US ambassador as names circulate in Washington

  • Among them are Nicholas Burns of Harvard; ex-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel; former senator Claire McCaskill; and Dan Kritenbrink, US envoy to Vietnam
  • It could still be several weeks before a nominee is announced, analysts say

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Among the names circulating in Washington as possible candidates for the US ambassadorship to China is Chicago’s former mayor Rahm Emanuel. Photo: AP
Mark Magnierin Washington
As President Joe Biden ticks off items on his lengthy to-do list, speculation continues to grow about who will be chosen as the next US ambassador to China.

Among the names floated in Washington include Nicholas Burns, a former long-time diplomat and now a Harvard professor; Rahm Emanuel, the one-time White House chief of staff and former mayor of Chicago; Claire McCaskill, a former senator from Missouri; and a current ambassador, Daniel Kritenbrink, the US envoy to Vietnam.

Analysts add that this administration is disciplined and keeps a tight lid on discussions about nominees, in sharp contrast to former president Donald Trump, who often turned the appointment process into a media spectacle. But they cite several attributes that would be helpful.
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Nicholas Burns, shown in 2006, is said to be a front runner for the position. Photo: AP
Nicholas Burns, shown in 2006, is said to be a front runner for the position. Photo: AP

“The person will have a clear-eyed view of both the challenges China presents to the United States and what can realistically be expected from engagement with the Chinese leadership,” said Fred Rocafort, a former diplomat once posted to Guangzhou who is now a trade and intellectual property lawyer with Harris Bricken.

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It could still be several weeks before a nominee is announced, analysts added. Hobbled by poor cooperation with the departing Trump administration during the transition, the Biden team is scrambling to get bodies into seats.

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