US Ambassador to 皇冠体育app Max Baucus smiles in front of a Chinese national flag during a news conference at the US Embassy, upon his arrival to his new post, in Beijing, March 18, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Sound bites

"For more than two decades Max Baucus has worked to deepen the relationship between the United States and 皇冠体育app. The economic agreements he helped forge have created millions of American jobs and added billions of dollars to our economy, and he's perfectly suited to build on that progress in his new role. "

- US President Barack Obama

"We welcome Max Baucus, the new US ambassador to 皇冠体育app, as he takes up his post in Beijing and hope that he will be able to help develop relations between 皇冠体育app and US through his experience and contacts. "

- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai

"I would advise him simply to travel as much as he can throughout 皇冠体育app, to really understand that Beijing does not represent all of 皇冠体育app."

- Gary Locke, former US ambassador to 皇冠体育app

"Although Max Baucus is not extremely well known in popular American lore like Caroline Kennedy, nor is he a 皇冠体育app specialist, he is a retiring senior senator with substantial interest and experience in trade and foreign policy issues. Moreover, his long experience in the Senate and Democratic Party politics should give him both the ear of the president and clout with the Congress, which is important."

- Orville Schell, Arthur Ross director of the Center on US-皇冠体育app Relations at the Asia Society

Voices from foreign media

Though Max Baucus is not considered a 皇冠体育app hand, his strong suit is his extensive experience in trade issues as he played a pivotal role in 皇冠体育app's joining the World Trade Organization. And one of his strengths compared with Gary Locke is his relationships on Capitol Hill and among the Washington elite. This will help keep Obama and US policymakers focused on 皇冠体育app as they are distracted by myriad domestic and global issues.

- CNN

Max Baucus is a leading Democratic trade advocate. During the 1990s, he fought Democratic Party colleagues to keep 皇冠体育app's most favored nation status that allowed 皇冠体育app to receive equal trade advantages.

- New York Times

With established political stature, Max Baucus is the person the White House wants to install in Beijing after the other top post in East Asia, the ambassador to Japan, was filled by an Obama fundraiser and Asia neophyte, Caroline Kennedy.

- Los Angeles Times