Asia
China holds eight percent of US debt-Locke
Updated: 2011-05-27 08:38
(Agencies)
US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke prepares to testify to be an ambassador to China before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington May 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] |
"China's hold or ownership is only 8 percent of our outstanding debt and in no way does China's position influence US foreign policy," Locke told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the next US ambassador to China.
Locke, nominated by President Barack Obama in March, made his remarks during a confirmation hearing before the committee, which is expected to support Locke. The full Senate is then expected to confirm him.
If confirmed, Locke would become the first Chinese-American to serve in the critical post of US ambassador to China, where his parents were born.
He would replace John Huntsman, a former governor of Utah who may run for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination to face Obama, a Democrat.
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