Former Senator Tom Udall. Photo: Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden will nominate Tom Udall, a former US senator who represented New Mexico, to be his ambassador to New Zealand, the White House said on Friday. Biden officials have had little high-level, face-to-face contact with Beijing since a first senior diplomatic meeting in March in Alaska, where the Chinese side expressed anger at US sanctions announced just ahead of the talks. Biden hopes to use the 21-member forum and other multilateral groups to combat what it sees as China's unfair trade practices and other issues. On Friday, the White House also said Biden would nominate career US foreign service members as ambassadors to Brunei, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Botswana.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 16, 2021 19:52 UTC