The first Chinese American ever to be US Ambassador to China has announced he will leave his post early next year to rejoin his family in Seattle, reports the Want China Times
Gary Locke has been the Ambassador since August 2011 and was previously the Governor of Washington.
He impressed the Chinese citizenry when he first arrived in China at the airport carrying his own luggage and stopping to buy a cup of coffee.
Locke said he is confident he will be leaving his post with the working relationship between the two countries greatly improved.
“While our bilateral relationship is a complex one, I remain confident in the ability of our leaders to manage differences and increase cooperation in areas of mutual concern to the benefit of not just our two great peoples, but the entire world,” he said.
You can read more about what he accomplished in the Want China Times.
The Wall Street Journal reports the announcement of his pending departure immediately grabbed the attention of the bloggersphere in China with many speculating he was being chased away by the country’s air pollution.
Locke denies that. His family moved with him to China in 2011, but left several months ago so that his son could finish high school in the United States.
Want China Times: Gary Locke to step down as US Ambassador to China
