San Francisco Mayor refute rumors of being ambassador to China

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San Francisco Mayor refute rumors of being ambassador to China

By Han Shasha (People's Daily Online) 14:15, November 22, 2013

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Edwin M. Lee, mayor of San Francisco is high on the list of the rumored candidates for the post as the U.S. ambassador to China. (People’s Daily Online/Han Shasha)

San Francisco, Nov. 21, (People’s Daily Online)----After the U.S. ambassador to China, Gary Locke, said on Wednesday that he would step down early next year, rumors about candidates for the post have been circulating.

Edwin M. Lee, mayor of San Francisco is high on the list the rumored candidates.

Inquired by the reporter with People’s Daily Online, Francis Tsang, chief deputy communications director of Mayor Lee’s office replied: “While amused by the speculation, Mayor Lee has no interest in being ambassador to China. He is 100 percent committed to a job he loves - being Mayor of San Francisco, the best city in the world.”

Actually, rumors that Mayor Lee would be the next ambassador to China are not fresh. Since at least this September, Lee, the city's first Chinese American mayor, has been rumored to replace his friend, former Washington Gov. Gary Locke, as the ambassador to China. And the rumors gained new life when Locke announced his resignation.

According to San Francisco Chronicle, the local news paper in the Bay Area, Lee, who visits China regularly, “has cultivated ties to its business and political leadership.” He attended the 2011 state dinner in Washington for Chinese President Hu Jintao and met with China's vice president, Li Yuanchao, during a trip in spring.

And Lee has taken three official trips to China in 2013 alone. When Gary Locke announced his resignation on Wednesday, Mayor Lee was in the southern city of Chaozhou in China.

Talking about the candidate, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, said at a daily press briefing in Washington "there will be a process that will be under way to determine an appropriate and qualified and talented replacement" for Locke, but she did not identify any candidates.

（Editor：YaoChun、Zhang Qian）