Ambassadors who helped shape Sino-US ties

8th US ambassador to China: Clark T. Randt, Jr.

US ambassadorship to Beijing is the best position in my entire US administration.

Term of appointment: July 12, 2001 - January, 2009

China connections: Fluent in Chinese, Randt was a classmate of former president George W. Bush at Yale University. He was the longest serving US ambassador to China.

Major issues: Republican Randt was nominated by then US President George W. Bush. The new US Embassy in Beijing opened on August 8, 2008. Anti-terrorism provided the groundwork for enhanced US-China co-operation after the September 11 tragedy.