August 9, 2021

As the position of US ambassador to China remains vacant after over 10 months, a rare occurrence since the two countries established diplomatic ties, Chinese experts on US affairs believe that the Biden administration wants to prioritize direct talks with China through higher-level officials because the role of an ambassador, as a policy executive, is quite limited who needs a higher official to "set the tone" on big issues. 

Qin Gang, China's new ambassador to the US, arrived in Washington on July 29, ending a month-long gap between the two countries. However, the post of US ambassador to China has been vacant since former ambassador Terry Branstad left Beijing in October 2020. 

The absence of an ambassador, a key diplomatic channel, has raised more speculations at a time when US-China relations are at a historic low. It has been reported that the Biden administration plans to appoint Nicholas Burns, a former US Permanent Representative to NATO, as the new ambassador. However, the nomination has yet to be announced, and it is not known when the US Senate will confirm it.

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