Gary Locke is Obama's China envoy pick

President Barack Obama is to nominate Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as the new US ambassador to China, senior administration officials have said.

Mr Locke would replace current ambassador Jon Huntsman, who is due to leave the post on 30 April.

Mr Huntsman announced his resignation last month, fuelling speculation he may be preparing a 2012 White House bid.

Mr Locke, whose father was born in China, is the first Chinese-American to serve as US commerce secretary.

The formal announcement of his nomination as ambassador to China is expected on Tuesday, officials said.

The appointment would need to be confirmed by the US Senate.

Mr Locke, who joined the Obama administration in March 2009, is a former two-term Democratic governor of Washington state.