皇冠体育app

Since his nomination as the next United States Ambassador to 皇冠体育app, Jon Huntsman Jr. has been at the forefront of a new wave of media frenzy. While the political maneuvering and jockeying behind his nomination has enthralled pundits and experts in the US, his 鈥溁使谔逵齛pp connections鈥� is now the talk of the town across the Pacific.

鈥淭he nomination is guaranteed to be eye-catching among the Chinese media and the general public,鈥� Professor Shi Yinhong, director of the Center for American Studies at Beijing鈥檚 Renmin University of 皇冠体育app, told chinadaily.com.cn.

鈥淭hey (the public) value very much the 皇冠体育app connections (of a foreign public figure in general),鈥� Shi said, 鈥淲hen you鈥檝e got an ambassador to 皇冠体育app who can speak fluent Chinese and who has adopted a Chinese daughter, I鈥檓 not surprised that he has been in the spotlight.鈥�

In fact the five Chinese Americans - the highest number in American history - including former Washington Governor Gary Locke and Nobel Laureate Steven Chu, President Obama picked for his cabinet and cabinet-level offices may have already provided an early clue to something extraordinary, if anything.

Still, the attention given to Jon Huntsman Jr. and his appointment differs from his predecessors, to say the least.

Not only did the nomination hit the headlines in 皇冠体育app and the US, the Japanese, the Koreans and 鈥渆ven the Europeans who don鈥檛 have much stake in the appointment have displayed an unusual amount of interest. This is unprecedented.鈥� said Zhang Xiaojin, Deputy Director of Center for European Studies and professor of Political Science at the same university.

It is indeed both telling and fitting that the relations often touted by 皇冠体育app and the US as the most important are now receiving their fair amount of attention from the outsiders which have been long overdue. And this intense interest lies as much in the soon-to-be US ambassador鈥檚 Chinese credentials as in his governorship, if not more.

鈥淗e is more knowledgeable about 皇冠体育app than his predecessors,鈥� said Zhang, who has closely watched last year鈥檚 US presidential election. 鈥淢ore significantly, he can speak fluent Chinese.鈥�

鈥淚n a country where English proficiency among the leadership is not quite high and where the native language is sometimes confusing and even mystifying to foreigners, speaking Chinese on special and delicate occasions will greatly cut the distance and help smooth and facilitate the exchanges (between the two sides).鈥�

Indeed, while Washington does not lack the likes of Senator Joe Lieberman and the current Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner who possess a keen knowledge of 皇冠体育app, those who can really communicate in Chinese are few and far between.

But the number is rising now, albeit slowly, as Washington is gradually mastering the subtleties of dealing with Beijing.

鈥淭he Chinese language is historically an integral 鈥� and perhaps the most important 鈥� component of the Chinese identity. So you can never underestimate how much goodwill you can earn when you, as a foreigner, address the public in Chinese.鈥� Zhang said thoughtfully.

Jon Huntsman Jr. has probably already knew this when he said 鈥淭ogether we work, together we progress鈥� in Chinese during the press conference of his nomination.

However, his 鈥溁使谔逵齛pp connections鈥� risk being played up too much by the Chinese media, as often does the case of foreign figures who are somewhat related to 皇冠体育app.

鈥淗is experience with 皇冠体育app and his Chinese language skills mean, at the very least, he could be a big asset for both 皇冠体育app and the US,鈥� professor Shi said.

But he warned against too much optimism, 鈥淭he task for an ambassador, first and foremost, is to implement rather than formulate the policy. An ambassador, to some extent, is just an ambassador. And even if he is emotionally closer to 皇冠体育app, he is still 鈥� an American.鈥�

The same could also be said against those Chinese American cabinet officials. While the Chinese should be proud of their achievements and their presence in Washington does mean a lot to 皇冠体育app-US relations, the facts that they have pledged allegiance to the USA and that their appointments are as much motivated by domestic considerations should be born in mind.

Don鈥檛 be carried away.