Chinese Press Cautiously Approves of Huntsman

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama will name Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., an up-and-coming Republican star, as his ambassador to China this morning, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Huntsman will resign as governor to take the post. The popular Mormon speaks Mandarin Chinese, has an adopted Chinese daughter, along with six other children, and has led a trade mission to China. He served as an ambassador to Singapore under Bush I and a deputy trade representative under Bush II. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama’s campaign manager says he’s a “wee bit queasy” about a possible election challenge from Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman in 2012, Salt Lake City’s KTVX-TV reports. “I think he’s really out there speaking a lot of truth about the direction of the party,” said David Plouffe of Huntsman, who has just toured Michigan, a key GOP primary state. More»

Gibbs: Ambassador Huntsman's future wide open

(NEWSER) - The White House confirmed today that it's looking for a new envoy to China, as Ambassador Jon Huntsman leaves to prepare a 2012 bid against his current boss, Politico reports. Huntsman has the support of several prominent GOP operatives, who've formed a PAC in order to begin the financial and organizational work necessary for a 2012 presidential bid. Robert Gibbs says that President Obama still believes Huntsman to be the right man for the job. More»

Business fork over thousands for positive pieces

(NEWSER) - If you're looking for some positive news coverage in China, open your wallet. Chinese media outlets routinely sell coverage, charging thousands of dollars for flattering interviews, puff pieces, or even quick shots of a CEO in a crowd, the New York Times reports. Officially, the practice is illegal in China, and may violate US laws. Unofficially, it's so widespread that many outlets explicitly have rate cards. A profile in China's version of Esquire, for instance, runs about $20,000 a page. More»

Ian Buruma criticizes hawks for over-relying on military, hurting US interests

(NEWSER) - Sure, the United States has the world's most powerful military. But President Obama's reluctance to use it is hardly a sign of pessimism or weakness, it's "realistic wisdom," writes Ian Buruma at al-Jazeera . "Old-fashioned military dominance is no longer adequate to promote US interests." Propping up dictators around the Middle East only fueled Islamic extremism, which cannot be beaten with troops or drones. Instead, Buruma points to China, which is gaining influence in Africa not through force but by money. More»