James Sasser

James 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 Ambassador Sasser's tenure, 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."

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 Appropriations Subcommittee, and the International Finance Subcommittee of the Banking Committee. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, he initiated fiscal reform that set limits on government spending.

Ambassador Sasser serves as a senior advisor to FedEx, APCO Worldwide and other major US companies. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and actively serves on a number of Boards, including the National Geographic Society, National Committee on US-China Relations and the George Washington University International Council.

He was named the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Visiting Professor at George Washington University'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. He and his wife, Mary, have two grown children.