Hank Levine

Hank Levine works for Stone Bridge International but has worked for the US State Department as well as the American Embassy in China. He also blogs at Behind The Curtain and speaks fluent Chinese.

Levine's list of past jobs include ones in the Office of Chinese Affairs at the State Department and twice in the US Embassy in Beijing, as well as serving as US Consul General in Shanghai and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Asia.

Since Jon Huntsman Jr. was nominated by Obama as the new China ambassador, Western and Chinese press have speculated about the decision. China Daily wrote a happy note about Huntsman's background:

Huntsman, 49, son of a Utah multimillionaire and philanthropist, served as a White House staff assistant to President Reagan, ambassador to Singapore under President George H.W. Bush and deputy trade representative under President George W. Bush.

The governor has strong ties to Asia: He lived as a Mormon missionary in Taiwan... He also supports Utah's legislative push to offer Chinese language courses in school, which would be the first of its kind in the US.

At The New Yorker blog, Evan Osnos talked about the use of his name in the Chinese press as well as his Mormon background. There are also reports on his more personal life choices, including coverage about his adopted Chinese daughter Gracie Mei.

Danwei got in touch with Levine to ask about the new ambassador appointment, his opinion on Huntsman's fluency of Mandarin, whether US China policy will be affected, how might trade relations change and and bipartisanship.

Danwei: Could the new Ambassador herald a change in China policy?
HL: I do not expect to see any major change in China policy, regardless of who the Ambassador is. In fact, US policy toward China has been pretty consistent since Richard Nixon’s trip to China.

The US government has been seeking to engage China and help it enter the global economic and political system. The Bush Administration’s approach was consistent with this and the Obama Administration has already made clear it will take a similar approach. Therefore, I do not expect to see major changes in US policy toward China, regardless of who the Ambassador is.

Danwei: How much does the Ambassador's personality affect the job or US - China relations?
Hank Levine: The Ambassador serves as the major conduit of policy and attitudes between the two governments. An effective Ambassador is one who gains the trust of the Chinese leadership and develops a deep understanding of China, while being an influential voice in political circles in Washington. In this role the Ambassador is a key person in developing mutual trust between Beijing and Washington, offering policy advice to each side (but of course with more impact in Washington), and in serving as the face and voice of the US in China.

Therefore, the Ambassador’s personality is not usually a critical element with regard to the basic direction of US policy toward China, but the Ambassador is a key actor in pursuing that policy. The more effective the Ambassador is, the greater contribution he makes to deepening the bilateral relationship, avoiding misunderstandings, and advancing mutually beneficial policies.

Danwei: Is it significant that he is a Republican (it's conventional wisdom that the Communist Party finds it easier to deal with Republicans than Democrats)?
HL: In the US each party has had its negative area of emphasis with regard to China. The Democrats, reflecting their political base, tend to emphasize human rights, worker rights, and trade issues. The Republicans, due to the influence of their right wing, have tended to emphasize national security concerns, i.e., “the China threat”. Sometimes one party uses these issues to attack an incumbent Administration from the other part.

For example, some Republicans used exaggerated national security concerns over satellite exports to attack the Clinton Administration. Jon Huntsman is highly respected in Republican political circles. The significance of his appointment is that he may be able to ensure that US policy toward China is truly bipartisan and focused on US national interests, not on using China for partisan purposes.

Danwei: Is the new Ambassador a religious fanatic?
HL: The new Ambassador is not a religious fanatic.

Danwei: Do you think he does speak fluent Mandarin or is that all hype? (We heard him say "互相学习" on Chinese Television and it didn't seem that he pronounced it exactly right － at least, he was talking very slowly)
HL: My understanding is that his Chinese was at one time excellent. Of course, he has been away from a Chinese speaking environment for a long time. My guess is that his Chinese today is OK, but very rusty. I’d think we would all want to make an evaluation on this after he has been in China for 6 months or so.

Danwei: In terms of trade, do you think Huntsman will be tough or soft on China?
HL: During his time as Deputy US Trade Representative he had a reputation for being balanced and reasonable in his approach on trade issues (China and others), so I do not expect him to be extreme in any way. Traditionally, the Republican Party has been more supportive of free trade and I believe Huntsman falls in this tradition.

Though most of the day-to-day decisions on trade issues will be made in Washington, not by the Ambassador, he will have some influence on very large decisions. Given his status in political circles in the Republican Party he will also be an effective voice in working with Republican members of the Congress on trade (and other) issues. I would expect that he would play a very positive role in this regard.

Danwei: Will his affiliations with China in the past help him assimilate smoothly into the position, and is he likely to be harder or softer than previous Ambassadors due to this relationship?
HL: I think his background with China will be a big help in allowing him to transition into the job smoothly. The job of the Ambassador is to help shape and promote US policies toward China. I anticipate that he will prove to be very effective in that role. I believe he brings to the job a very balanced view of China today and the US interest in working with China on key issues of global concern, while at the same time not shying away from raising areas of difference.