TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Saturday (March 27) it welcomed the appointment of the American ambassador in Vietnam, Daniel Kritenbrink, as assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

A former deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Beijing, Kritenbrink’s past interactions with Taiwan have been positive, MOFA said, adding it looked forward to strengthening the bilateral relationship based on its present strong foundation. The veteran diplomat is also an expert on the Indo-Pacific and other Asian issues, CNA reported.

Kritenbrink will succeed David Stillwell and Sung Kim, who has been acting assistant secretary of state since the swearing-in of the Biden Administration. The new official speaks fluent Chinese and Japanese, according to the State Department website.

MOFA said it would closely monitor Kritenbrink’s confirmation process by the U.S. Senate. Earlier this year, the diplomat made headlines in Vietnam by recording a rap song with a local singer for the Lunar New Year.