Former Washington Governor Gary Locke immediately aroused public interest in China when he assumed the role of the first Chinese American ambassador to Beijing.
Locke has already become popular among the Chinese because he carries his own luggage, drives a modest vehicle and retains a small security staff, thus creating a sharp contrast with Chinese officials who do not stint on ostentation and come with a retinue of assistants to handle their everyday chores.
In successive Chinese Communist Party congresses, the party and governmental elite were cautioned to avoid ostentatious behavior. However, this is apparently as difficult to eradicate as official corruption.
Even the admirers of the new ambassador's modest ways were surprised when he sought to use a discount voucher at a coffee shop. It almost made one wonder if America's destitute condition caused a government official to be reduced to using a coupon.
The official China Daily carped that "his mission will be much heavier than the bag he carried on the way to China." The Chinese Communist Party's organ People's Daily warned the populace not to entertain unrealistic expectations about the new ambassador or about smooth Sino-American relations: "the fluctuation in bilateral ties during the Obama administration has strengthened the Chinese public's preparedness for future uncertainties between the two countries." The paper also noted that Gary Locke had emphasized that he represents American values and acidly commented "it is hoped that these include honoring commitments and having the courage to take responsibility (the latter being a slap at the US debt situation that for the Chinese represents the height of irresponsibility).
Another article explains that the US was a country of immigrants, that Barack Obama's father was a Kenyan and his grandmother still lives in Kenya. It was typical American practice to appoint descendants of immigrants to ambassadorial posts and Locke proved that rule. What was encouraging about Locke was not his Chinese ancestry but the fact that he had served for eight years as governor of the state of Washington – a state that had a long tradition of extensive commercial ties with China.
Chinese leaders, including Deng