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US President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday named veteran diplomat Mark Lambert as its top China policy official, at a time of tense relations over issues including Taiwan, trade and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Lambert will be deputy assistant secretary for China and Taiwan, and will head the Office of China Coordination, informally known as China House. That team was created late last year to unify China policies across regions and issues.
An Asia expert who did two stints at the US embassy in Beijing, Lambert most recently served as a deputy assistant secretary focused on Japanese, Korean and Mongolian affairs, and on relations with Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
“He has deep experience working on issues related to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), forging aligned policies with our allies and partners, and protecting the integrity of the international system,” the State Department said in a statement.
US State Department’s top China official is stepping down
US State Department’s top China official is stepping down
Lambert’s appointment is unlikely to change the tone of Washington’s China policy but should inject energy into an operation that has been criticised for adding layers of bureaucracy to an already complex decision-making process.
“He is fully on board with the mission and the mandate of China House,” a senior State Department official said.
“He’s really focused on making sure that it’s policy, paper, process and also people.”
The State Department has acknowledged some staffing problems as China House was launched and mobilised but has denied that they were related to the administration’s policy toward Beijing. It said the division was one if its highest-functioning teams.
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Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit
Chinese balloon row: Joe Biden says US-China relations have not taken a big hit
The US and China are at odds over issues from Taiwan to trade, fentanyl and human rights.
Washington has sought to keep communication channels open by sending top cabinet members to Beijing over the past few months, ahead of a possible meeting later this year between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In May, Reuters reported that the State Department delayed sensitive actions toward China to try to limit damage to bilateral relations after an alleged Chinese spy balloon crossed US airspace in February.
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