Has the newcomer been selected?, Assistant during the adjustment of the US policy team towards China | Affairs | Candidates

According to reports, the US State Department may appoint senior diplomat Mark Lambert as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China Affairs, filling the vacancy left by former China Ziqiang since his departure in June.

At the same time, due to the uncertainty in the Senate's approval of the nomination, it remains to be seen whether Lambert will take over another position that China has also held, namely, the head of the Office of China Coordination.

This latest personnel change occurs at the time of the adjustment of the US policy team towards China. But some argue that the Biden administration's policy towards China will not undergo significant adjustments.

New candidates

Previously, this position was held by "China expert" Hua Ziqiang, but he stepped down in June this year.

If appointed, Lambert will become a senior official responsible for China policy at the US State Department, and is expected to report to his superiors - Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Conda.

At the same time, due to the uncertainty in the Senate's approval of the nomination, it remains to be seen whether Lambert will take over another position that China has also held, namely, the head of the Office of China Coordination.

This office, also known as "China House," is a department established by the US State Department at the end of last year aimed at integrating China policies from different regions and fields, and coordinating US policies towards China.

It is reported that if the candidate for the position needs to be approved by the Senate, the State Department may not nominate Lambert as the head of "Chinahouse", but instead appoint a candidate for the position that has been approved by the Senate, such as Conda.

According to official information, Lambert is currently the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the United States Department of State, with specific business scope covering the relationship between the United States and Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific island countries.

Previously, Lambert had participated in international organization affairs at the US State Department, including US affairs at the United Nations. It is reported that in the 2020 election for the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, during the Trump administration, Lambert strongly recommended candidates from Singapore on behalf of the United States, which was considered to weaken China's influence on the international stage. At that time, the Chinese side once criticized the United States for obstructing candidates from China.

Lambert is also very familiar with Asian affairs and has served twice at the US Embassy in China, most recently responsible for handling US political and military affairs related to China. In 2001, Lambert also assisted the United States in dealing with the diplomatic crisis caused by the collision of a US reconnaissance plane with a Chinese military aircraft.

As the special envoy for North Korea, Lambert participated in the relevant negotiations and "designed and implemented an international pressure operation" to promote the implementation of the United Nations Security Council resolution. As the head of North Korean affairs, Lambert also assisted in responding to North Korea's weapon tests.

During his tenure as political advisor in Hanoi, he helped the United States develop the "South China Sea Maritime Strategy" and gained recognition for significantly improving US Vietnam relations.

Lambert also represented the United States in political and military affairs in Bangkok and Tokyo. He also served as a weapons inspector in Iraq.

People familiar with Lambert say that he is considered a reliable and experienced manager within the State Department, recognized by Kanta and others.

It is worth mentioning that Lambert has studied Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Spanish. His wife Laura Stone is also a senior official of the US State Department.

Adjustment period?

Public opinion has noticed several noteworthy backgrounds surrounding Lambert's potential appointment.

One is the adjustment of the US policy team towards China. Only half a year after the establishment of "China House", Hua Ziqiang resigned. At the same time, Sherman, the second in command of the US State Department and Executive Deputy Secretary of State, also announced his retirement in May. Like China's self-improvement, Sherman also plays an important role in the formulation and implementation of policies towards China by the US State Department.

Some argue that China's self-improvement and Sherman are relatively rational and moderate forces in US policy towards China. Their successive resignations seem to indicate that these forces will be weakened in a new round of adjustment in the US policy team towards China.

Secondly, the relationship between China and the United States urgently needs improvement. Some comments suggest that as Lambert is expected to take office, the leaders of China and the United States are seeking to curb the sharp decline in bilateral relations. Currently, the relationship between the two countries is tense in areas such as technology, trade, and security. But after the setbacks at the beginning of this year, high-level dialogue and communication between China and the United States are gradually recovering.

Thirdly, the Biden administration's China policy and team selection have been scrutinized by hardline Republicans, who reportedly believe that the White House places too much emphasis on engagement with China.

Currently, the Biden administration is describing its policy towards China as "intense competition" while attempting to increase contact with China to stabilize bilateral relations. Some argue that the appointment of Lambert is unlikely to change the tone of US policy towards China.

In addition, "Chinese houses" face their own challenges, including being accused of bureaucracy and exacerbating the complexity of the decision-making process. Senior officials also acknowledge that there are issues with morale and manpower in the Chinahouse, but deny that these issues are related to the way the State Council implements its policy towards China.

It is currently unclear when the US State Department will announce the new appointment. "We currently have no personnel announcements," said a spokesperson for the State Council. As a part of the US government, the Office of China Coordination is committed to managing the US China competition and promoting the US vision of the international system.

Another insider said, "It is still a new experiment, and we must see how effective it is before taking measures to make it run for a long time."