Politics. On Point.

Vice President Joe Biden has departed for Beijing, China, the first stop on a nine-day trip to China, Mongolia, and Japan. In each country, the Vice President will meet with key leaders to discuss the full range of bilateral, regional, and international issues.  The Vice President is visiting China at the invitation of Vice President Xi Jinping – the first of the planned reciprocal visits between the Vice Presidents announced by President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao during his state visit to Washington earlier this year.  While in Beijing, the Vice President will meet with Vice President Xi and other Chinese leaders, including President Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao.  The Vice President will also visit the city of Chengdu, in China’s Southwest.  On Sunday, August 21st at 10:30 AM LOCAL TIME/Saturday, August 20th at 10:30 PM ET, the Vice President will deliver a speech on U.S.-China relations at Sichuan University. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the Vice Presiden...

Gary Locke, former White House Secretary of Commerce, has been nominated by the President as U.S. ambassador to China. Locke replaces former Utah governor  Jon Huntsman, who has stepped down to (wait for it) possibly challenge President Obama in the 2012 presidential race. Locke was the first Chinese-American governor and should the Senate approve his nomination, would the be first Chinese-American ambassador to China.  He is a partner in the Seattle office of the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine which lists China as one of its specialties. "Gary has distinguished himself as one of our nation’s most respected and admired public servants.  As our country’s first Chinese-American governor, he worked tirelessly to attract jobs and businesses to Washington State, and he doubled exports to China", said President Obama during this morning's announcement. "He’s been a point person for my National Export Initiative, and last year, Gary’s depa...