Nicholas Burns is the U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, appointed in 2021 by President Joe Biden. His first visits to China were with Secretary of State George Shultz in 1988, and President George H.W. Bush in 1989. As State Department Spokesperson, he accompanied Secretary Madeleine Albright to Hong Kong during the 1997 Handover. Ambassador Burns has served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Ambassador to NATO, and Ambassador to Greece. He worked on the National Security Council as Special Assistant to President Clinton and Senior Director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Affairs.