Clark T. Randt Jr.

Clark T. "Sandy" Randt Jr. (Chinese: 雷德; Pinyin: Léi Dé; born November 24, 1945) is an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from July 23, 2001 to January 20, 2009, making him the longest-serving U.S. Ambassador to China. Randt was formerly a partner with the law firm of Shearman & Sterling in Hong Kong, where he headed the firm's China practice.

Clark T. Randt Jr.
雷德
Randt in 2015
8th United States Ambassador to China
In office
July 23, 2001 – January 20, 2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byJoseph Prueher
Succeeded byJon Huntsman Jr.
Personal details
Born (1945-11-24) November 24, 1945
Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSarah Talcott Randt
ChildrenClark Randt III
Paull M. Randt
Clare T. Randt
Alma materYale University
University of Michigan Law School
ProfessionLawyer

Education

After preparing at The Hotchkiss School, Randt graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1968 and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School in 1975. He also attended Harvard Law School where he was awarded the East Asia Legal Studies Traveling Fellowship to China.[1] While at Yale, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity with George W. Bush.

Career

From 1968 to 1972, Randt served in the United States Air Force Security Service, and in 1974 he was the China representative of the National Council for United States-China Trade.[1]

Randt was a resident of Beijing from 1982 through 1984 where he served as First Secretary and Commercial Attache at the U.S. Embassy.[1] He then lived in Hong Kong for 18 years, most recently as a partner with the international law firm of Shearman & Sterling where he headed the firm's China practice. Randt was Governor and First Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. He is a member of the New York and Hong Kong bars and is a recognized expert on Chinese law. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.[2]

Official portrait from tenure as ambassador
Randt (left) speaks with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace prior to a meeting with foreign minister of China Li Zhaoxing in Beijing, China on March 23, 2007
Randt meeting with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick during a December 2007 trade mission by Patrick to China

Randt was nominated U.S. Ambassador to China by President George W. Bush on April 30, 2001 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 11, 2001. He was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to China on July 17, 2001 and arrived in Beijing on July 23.[1]

Randt has been an opponent to the sale of defensive weapons to the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the face of opposition from the Communist government in Beijing.[3]

As a political appointee, Randt was required by convention to resign at the end of Bush's term. The Deputy Chief of Mission took over as chargé d'affaires at the U.S. embassy for several months before Barack Obama's appointment of Jon Huntsman. Randt is currently a special advisor to Hopu Investment Management, a Chinese private equity fund.[4]

Personal life

Randt is married and has three children.

References
  1. "CLARK T. RANDT, JR. Ambassador to China". The American Embassy in China. 2001-07-23. Archived from the original on 2003-06-05. Retrieved 2003-06-05.
  2. Department Of State. The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs. "Randt, Clark T., Jr". 2001-2009.state.gov. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  3. Washington Times – Inside the Ring
  4. Wall Street Journal (2009). China Real Time Report - Former Ambassador Randt Advises on Chinese Private Equity. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
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