China’snew US envoy in NY as disputes test ties

China’s new ambassador to the United States has arrived in the country, vowing to shoulder the “heavy responsibility” of a superpower relationship that is “facing severe challenges.”

Xie Feng, a career diplomat with extensive experience in Washington, D.C., arrived in New York City on Tuesday, Beijing’s embassy in the US said in a statement.

He replaces Qin Gang, who left his post earlier this year to serve as China’s foreign minister.

“As a representative of the Chinese people, I have come here to safeguard the interests of China, and I take this as my sacred responsibility. As an envoy of the Chinese people, I have come here to enhance China-US exchanges and cooperation, and I take this as my important mission,” Xie told reporters at the John F. Kennedy International Airport upon arrival.

“At present, the China-US relationship is faced with serious difficulties and challenges. My appointment means to me not only honor, but also enormous responsibilities. My colleagues and I will carry out our responsibilities and live up to our mission with diligence and fortitude,” he said.

“During my posting, I look forward to engaging extensively with the American people from all walks of life, observing and hearing about the country at a close distance, and exploring ways to deepen exchanges and cooperation,” the diplomat added.

US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said on Wednesday he had held a “farewell dinner” with Xie “as we manage the ever-challenging US-China relationship.”

“I look forward to working with him in his new role,” Burns said on Twitter.

According to an official government biography, 59-year-old Xie hails from the wealthy eastern province of Jiangsu and holds a master’s degree in management.

He has worked in the foreign service since at least 1986, and spent much of the 1990s rising through the ranks of the ministry’s bureau for North American affairs.

He served two stints in China’s outpost in Washington during the following decade, before becoming ambassador to Indonesia.

Most recently, Xie worked as commissioner of Beijing’s foreign ministry in Hong Kong, and as vice minister of foreign affairs.

Relations between China and the US have become fraught in recent years, with tensions flaring over trade, technology, human rights and other issues.

A recent flashpoint has been high-end microchips, with Beijing saying on Sunday that US semiconductor giant Micron had failed a national security review and would not be allowed to sell to operators of “critical information infrastructure.”

The announcement came after Washington and its allies took measures in recent months that China claimed were designed to restrict its ability to purchase or manufacture cutting-edge chips and curb its rising global power.

Beijing this month also sentenced American citizen John Shing-wan Leung, 78, to life in prison for espionage, but disclosed few details about the case.