Former Ambassador of the United States to the People's Republic of China & Chairman of Senate Budget Committee

James R. Sasser has spent a quarter-century in public life, as a Senator from the state of Tennessee and as Ambassador of the United States to the People’s Republic of China.

During the almost four years Ambassador Sasser was in Beijing, 1996 through 1999, he played a pivotal role in the strengthening of Sino-U.S. relations.  He developed close working relationships with President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji, traveling with both on their historic State Visits to the United States in 1997 and 1999, and with President Clinton when he visited China in 1998. 

It was during these visits that President Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin agreed to work toward a “strategic partnership,” paving the way for a number of important steps in trade and diplomacy, and facilitating Chinese membership in WTO.

Summing up Jim Sasser’s tenure as Ambassador to China:

Henry Kissinger said, “…I have never known an Ambassador who has done a better or more passionate job on Sino-US relations than Ambassador Sasser."

From the Department of State, “[Ambassador Sasser] has played a prominent role in forging a dramatic improvement in the U.S.-Chinese relationship.   He is held in very high esteem by the host government (China) and thus has ready access to its top leadership.  This was demonstrated rather dramatically when he was invited to have dinner at the home of the president (Jiang Zemin) before he departed for the summit in the United States.  This was an unprecedented event for an ambassador in Beijing.” 

The Beijing American Chamber of Commerce noted his special bond with the Chinese leadership, “Ambassador Sasser is a uniquely gifted emissary of the United States, a man able to understand intuitively what drives policy in Washington as well as in Beijing, able to communicate effectively between the senior leaders in both capitols, and most important, able to shape, direct and energize policy.”  

Before his appointment by President Clinton, Sasser was a Fellow at the Institute of Politics, Kennedy School of Harvard University (1995).  Prior to his term at Harvard, he served as United States Senator from Tennessee for eighteen years (1976–1994).  During that time he chaired the Senate Budget Committee (1989–1995), as well as Chairing the Military Construction Appropriation Subcommittee, and the International Finance Subcommittee of the Banking Committee.  As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, he initiated fiscal reform which set limits on government spending.

 Ambassador Sasser currently serves as a senior advisor to the Ford Motor Company and Federal Express and a consultant to Brown-Forman Corporation.  He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and actively serves on a number of Boards, including the National Geographic Society, Yale University International Advisory Board of the Culture and Civilization of China, and the George Washington University International Council.  

He was named the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Visiting Professor at GeorgeWashingtonUniversity’s Elliott School of International Affairs during the 2000 school year.  In announcing the appointment, GW President Joel Trachtenberg said, “Ambassador Sasser brings with him a wealth of real world experience, knowledge of government affairs and international diplomacy,”

From 1961 until he won a Senate seat in 1976, Sasser was a partner in the law firm of Goodpasture, Carpenter, Woods, and Sasser.  He is a 1958 graduate of Vanderbilt University and 1961 graduate of Vanderbilt Law School.  Sasser served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

On the speaking platform:

Jim Sasser brings a very unique perspective to the speaking platform because of the enormous respect Chinese leaders have for him and the friendships he was able to forge during the almost four years he was Ambassador. These relationships enable him to have direct access to the current leadership and from that, a unique insight into U.S./China relations.  Also, because he served as Chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, he has a keen understanding of our current economic problems, nationally and internationally, especially now that Democratic leadership is in charge.