PERSONA GRATA: Utah Governor Jon Huntsman was nominated as the new U.S. ambassador to China on May 16 (XINHUA/AFP)

Newly nominated U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman has been well received among Chinese observers. Recently, Beijing Review reporter Yan Wei discussed the nomination with Professor Shi Yinhong of the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China, a prominent expert on American studies. Excerpts of the interview follow:

Beijing Review: What is your take on Huntsman's nomination as the new U.S. ambassador to China?

Shi Yinhong: Huntsman's nomination was a surprise to everybody. In fact, he is better than the speculated candidates.

Access to the president is crucial for a U.S. ambassador. As an influential Republican and the incumbent governor of Utah, Huntsman has much better access to Obama than the rumored ambassador nominees. Nobody will complain against him if he bypasses the State Department and goes directly to the White House. By naming Huntsman the U.S. ambassador to China, Obama may personally attend more to Chinese affairs that come under the ambassador's mandate.

Huntsman is not only a Republican, but also the one who co-chaired John McCain's campaign for the U.S. presidency last year. What does this mean to Obama?

Given his status in the Republican Party, Huntsman can be called on to help the Obama administration forge consensus with the Republicans on America's China policy. With him serving as the U.S. ambassador to China, the Republicans will also take some responsibility for America's policy toward China. As a result, they may weaken their criticism of the government.

Why is Huntsman willing to resign as governor of Utah to become the ambassador to China?

Huntsman's decision to resign from the elected post of governor to serve as the U.S. ambassador to China attests to his deep understanding of China's importance. China-U.S. relations have gained increasing weight in the U.S. political arena. Achievements in this field will give him an advantage when he resumes his political career in the United States after serving his term in China and when he contends for the Republican presidential nomination in the future.

China-U.S. relations have maintained good momentum thanks to China's cooperative policy and America's increasing dependence on China since Obama's inauguration in January. Against this backdrop, the new ambassador will enjoy a good working atmosphere in China.

What similarities does Huntsman share with his predecessor Clark T. Randt, Jr.?

The two men share a lot of similarities. Randt, the longest serving U.S. ambassador to China, was also appointed by the president. His access to the White House not only facilitated the embassy's work but also contributed to Bush's adoption of a more cooperative policy toward China in the last years of his presidency.

Like Randt, Huntsman is a U.S. politician with a strong interest in and personal connections with China. For example, he has an adopted Chinese daughter. These personal attributes are not very important because a U.S. ambassador is duty bound to implement the policies of the U.S. Government. However, they will help Huntsman communicate with the Chinese more effectively and gain the support of the Chinese general public for China-U.S. cooperation. As far as China-U.S. relations are concerned, Huntsman is a good nominee for the post.

What will be Huntsman's challenges as the U.S. ambassador to China, if the nomination is approved by the Senate?

Major points of contention still exist in China-U.S. relations. Can the United States respect China's core interests in the Tibet issue? Although the situation across the Taiwan Straits is quite optimistic at present, we cannot rule out the possibility of future turbulence. Whether the United States can play a positive role in addressing the Taiwan question remains a challenge.

Embassy administration will be another challenge. As exchanges between China and the United States in the fields of finance, tourism, education, culture, science and technology become increasingly frequent, the workload of the U.S. Embassy in China has exploded. It is now one of America's largest embassies, employing more than 1,000 U.S. diplomats. Huntsman, who has worked as a governor, should be capable enough to cope with administrative affairs at the embassy.

How do you view Huntsman's education and missionary work in Taiwan?

Due to these experiences, his views on Taiwan may contain more factors unacceptable to us. But I don't think they will pose severe problems. Today China matters much more to the United States than ever before. President Obama has also adopted a positive stance toward the country. In this context, Huntsman's background may exert some potential influence on his ambassadorship in China but not much.