Locke sworn in as China ambassador

The United States has a new point man in China.

Gary Locke, the former governor of Washington and most recently President Obama's Commerce Secretary, was sworn in on Monday as the newest US ambassador to China. Locke replaces Jon Huntsman, a charismatic Republican former governor of Utah who left the post after two years to run for president against his boss. Huntsman is now enmeshed in the GOP presidential primary race.

The appointment brings Locke full circle back to China. The grandson of a Chinese immigrant from Guangdong province, Locke has visited China several times in his official capacities. In his swearing-in speech, Locke said he would work to improve US-China relations during his tenure.

"The United States and China have a profoundly important and complex diplomatic, economic, and strategic bilateral relationship – one with challenges, no question, but one which also holds great promise for extended cooperation and collaboration," he said. "I look forward to working with the Chinese Government to fulfill that promise, but more importantly, to build the positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship that President Obama and President Hu have agreed that our two countries should aspire to."