US Ambassador to China Gary Locke is at it again, giving China no face by doing all those things that Chinese officials won't do. Not content with buying his own coffee, carrying his own backpack, flying cattle class and staying in cheap hotels, Locke has performed his latest "stunt" -- kneeling in front of a child to speak to her. more ›

Talk about some damning evidence. A photo gallery posted by PAS China on Flickr shows blind lawyer/Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng arriving at the US Embassy earlier this week. In the photos, Chen is seen smiling and, at one point, embracing US Ambassador Gary Locke. Later pictures show him being reunited with his family at the Chaoyang Hospital, with US officials standing in the background. more ›

The Beijing Daily released an editorial today accusing the U.S. and the Western media of using blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng as a tool to discredit and possibly blackmail China. They harshly criticize Ambassador Locke by name as well. more ›

Turns out all that speculation that blind Chinese human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng fled to the US Embassy in Beijing was true. American officials confirmed that, following a six-day stint at the Embassy, Chen left Wednesday to receive medical treatment at a nearby hospital in the city. But it looks like Chen may have been forced out — he told the AP from the hospital this evening that authorities threatened to beat and kill his wife if he refused to leave the Embassy. more ›

Gary Locke, the US ambassador famous for buying his own Starbucks coffee while carrying his own backpack, flying cattle class instead of first class and then getting taunted publicly by the smart-alecky CCTV host Rui Chenggang for it, is back in the limelight again. more ›

US ambassador to China Gary Locke has announced a new interview waiver pilot program that is expected to make it easier for Chinese nationals to visit the United States. Under the new program, consular officers will have the power to waive interviews for some qualified non-immigrant applicants who are renewing their visa within 48 months of expiration of their previously held visa. more ›

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin has slammed US ambassador to China Gary Locke for the remarks he made in an interview with Charlie Rose on China's recent human rights record. more ›

American broadcast news icon Charlie Rose speaks with Gary Locke. It's one of the first interviews we've seen Locke give since he was appointed US ambassador last summer. more ›

• Wen Jiabao spooked everyone out recently by telling a story that isn't heard very often, of how his own family was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution.
• A group of university professors at Yangtze University in Hubei recently got on their knees for NIMBY protests against a steel processing plant near their campus.
• Chongqing's leadership is all about giving to the 99%, while Guangdong's bigwigs would prefer to keep it amongst the 1%. A bit simplistic an explanation, but that's apparently all anybody understands these days.

• Evan Osnos of The New Yorker uses his crumbling 4-year-old Beijing hutong home as a metaphor for some possible liabilities surrounding China's breakneck development.
• Malcome Moore of the Daily Telegraph gives us the blow by blow account of a town in China first made filthy rich, then totally ruined by a pyramid scheme.
• China Digital Times takes a look at US China Ambassador Gary Locke's unexpected and immediate rise to stardom in China, and some not-so-friendly editorials in Chinese State Media that have come out as a result.

Gary Locke -- the US Ambassador who buys his own coffee AND flies cattle class -- gave an important speech yesterday in which he laid out his vision for the future of the U.S.-China economic and trade relationship. Here are a few excerpts: more ›

Earlier today, at the World Economic Forum in Dalian, the ever so smug and smart-alecky CCTV host Rui Chenggang (芮成钢), successfully put himself in the limelight once more by asking US Ambassador to China Gary Locke, "I hear you flew here coach. Is that a reminder that US owes China money?" more ›

Just two weeks into his job, new US Ambassador to China Gary Locke continues to enjoy his honeymoon period with Chinese netizens. more ›

The new US ambassador to China Gary Locke made his first public appearance this weekend in Beijing, using the opportunity to assure China that its investment in the US dollar is safe. With headlines in Chinese state media like "Locke to rebuild US reputation" and "New US ambassador faces a tough job", the tone in Beijing seems at the very least welcoming, if not optimistic over the arrival of the former US Secretary of Commerce. After burning up the Chinese internets last weekend because he buys his own coffee and carries his own backpack, Locke was asked whether he plans to use social media to speak directly with Chinese citizens, and responded "We look forward to using all forms of communications, including blogging and the electronic media." In the mean time, you can follow him on Twitter at @AmbLocke. Surprisingly, we still can't find a verified account for him on Weibo! But you can follow the U.S. Embassy in Beijing here. more ›

US Ambassador Gary Locke may have only just touched down in China but he's already making waves in the People's Republic. more ›

Lookout, Beijing, there's a new American sheriff ambassador in town. Democrat Gary Locke (骆家辉), a third-generation Chinese-American with ancestral roots in Taishan (台山), Guangdong, has just been confirmed as the newest American ambassador to China, replacing current Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman. Locke (no relation to the Father of Liberalism) was a former two-term governor of the great state of Washington, and is to this day still the only American politician of Asian descent to ever serve as governor. more ›

Obama announced this morning that he plans to nominate US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the new US ambassador to China, replacing Hunstman who resigned amid rumors of a planned presidential bid. Locke was the first-ever Chinese-American Commerce Secretary, the first-ever Chinese-American state governor (of Washington State, represent!) and will now become the first-ever Chinese-American China ambassador (pending approval from the Senate.) more ›

We told you about Charlie Fowler and Christine Boskoff a few days ago. This site has proven to be the best source of updates on the search for the two well-known climbers. Unfortunately, none of the updates have included the news we are all hoping to hear. Here is the latest since Dec. 18: more ›