Huntsman as US Ambassador to China - the view from the Global Times
An opinion piece in the Global Times - a nationalist tabloid - placed the appointment in the context of US domestic politics. The author noted that Obama had removed a potential Republican rival for the 2012 Presidential election and helped ensure the Republicans would not be able to criticize his China policy as too soft - since it was being conducted in large part by one of their own. But the author also argued that the appointment of a Republican might smooth out some of the bumps in the relationship, especially if Huntsman remained true to the Republican Party’s focus on economic issues to the exclusion of more delicate social and environmental concerns.
Postings to ‘Strong Nation Forum’ - an online discussion board linked to the People’s Daily website - offered a mix of positive and negative reactions. One posting enthused that Huntsman’s nomination was a sign of brotherhood between the US and China. Another urged that cold war thinking should be shelved so the bilateral relationship could be strengthened. But on the same thread, another poster sardonically asked ‘is your brain full of water? What do you think the relationship would be like if China didn’t buy US debt?’ I expect Mr. Huntsman hopes he never has to find out.