Top career US diplomat in China embassy steps down
[BEIJING] The top career diplomat at the US embassy in China has stepped down, an American official in Beijing confirmed on Tuesday, amid suggestions that he opposes President Donald Trump's climate policy.
Embassy charge d'affaires David Rank was a 27-year veteran State Department officer appointed to serve in Beijing in January last year.
"Mr Rank made a personal decision. We appreciate his years of dedicated service to the State Department," US embassy spokeswoman Mary Beth Polley told AFP.
Ms Polley said the embassy informed China's foreign affairs ministry on Monday that Jonathan Fritz would be serving as charge d'affaires.
She declined to comment on when a permanent replacement for Mr Rank would be announced.
Mr Trump's choice as the new ambassador to China, former Iowa governor Terry Branstad, has yet to arrive in the country.
News of Mr Rank's resignation was broken on Twitter by veteran China reporter John Pomfret, an editor at the SupChina news site, formerly of the Washington Post.
According to Mr Pomfret, Mr Rank stepped down because he "could not back Trump on climate" and had been dismayed by the president's decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord.
Mr Pomfret added Mr Rank had "called a town hall meeting" at the embassy "to say he could not deliver a demarche (initiative)" to China over US withdrawal from the Paris agreement.
AFP
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
International
German deficit forecast at 1.75% in 2024, says stability council
SNP veteran John Swinney set to be Scotland’s next leader
Shell in talks to sell Malaysia fuel stations to Saudi Aramco: sources
Israel begins evacuating part of Rafah, Hamas decries 'dangerous escalation'
Macron, von der Leyen press Xi on trade in Paris talks
Eurozone business activity grows at fastest pace in almost a year, PMI shows