President Barack Obama will make his first official visit to China in November, seeking to foster collaboration on the environment, renewable energy and regional security, the new U.S. ambassador to China said.

“If we can tackle all of these, we will be able to take U.S.-China relations to new heights,” Jon Huntsman said today in Beijing at his first press meeting since arriving in the Chinese capital yesterday.

Obama accepted an invitation from Chinese President Hu Jintao in April when the two met in London at a Group of 20 summit called to deal with the global financial crisis. He is also scheduled to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Singapore in November.

The appointment of Huntsman, 49, a fluent Mandarin speaker, as Obama’s envoy underscores the importance of trade and political relations between the world’s biggest market and the largest global manufacturer. The U.S. and China have a twice- yearly strategic and economic dialogue for resolving problems and also conduct a dialogue on human-rights issues.

“The human-rights dialogue has to be regularized so that it’s not just a regular meeting, but a meaningful meeting that reflects ourselves as a country,” Huntsman said today. “It has to be comprehensive, thoughtful and include issues like climate change and the economy.”

The U.S. and China must also collaborate on security issues, including disarmament in North Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, said Huntsman, who was Republican governor of Utah when tapped to head the president’s diplomatic overtures to Beijing.

‘Goodwill and Work’

“These will require the U.S. and China to work diligently, a lot of collaboration, goodwill and work,” he said.

Huntsman learned Mandarin when he was a Mormon missionary in Taiwan. He has served as a deputy U.S. Trade Representative and as American ambassador to Singapore.

As Utah governor, Huntsman focused on improving public education, the state’s economic competitiveness and the environment. He promoted the study of Mandarin in schools, and said about 5,000 students in the state are now learning the language spoken by some 70 percent of Chinese people.

Huntsman began his remarks today with an adage in Mandarin: “When the family is happy, all is well under heaven.”

He’s joined in Beijing by his wife Mary Kaye and three daughters Mary Anne, Gracie Mae and Usha. Gracie Mae was adopted from eastern China’s Yangzhou city.

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