Biden Names Nicholas Burns as Envoy to China Rahm Emanuel to Japan

© REUTERS / Jim Bourg

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - President Joe Biden has nominated former State Department diplomat Nicholas Burns as US ambassador to China and Rahm Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago and chief of staff to President Barack Obama as US ambassador to Japan, the White House announced on Friday.

“Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to serve as US ambassadors,” the White House said in a statement. “Nicholas Burns, Nominee … to the People’s Republic of China [and] Rahm Emanuel, Nominee for Ambassador … to Japan.”

Burns served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, ambassador to NATO and Greece, and on the National Security Council staff on Soviet and Russian Affairs. He also worked with the Chinese government on Afghanistan and US policy in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said.

Emanuel advised Obama on all key national security decisions during his first two years in office. From 2003 to 2009, he served in the US House of Representatives and earlier served as Assistant for Political Affairs and Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy to President Bill Clinton, the statement said.

Biden also nominated Michael Battle, a former State Department Bureau of African Affairs adviser, as the next ambassador to Tanzania, the statement added.

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