Gary Locke to leave China on March 1

Locke(2nd R) attends a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of an expanded visa service center in the American Consulate General in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Jan 16, 2014. [Photo: China News Service / An Yuan]

(ECNS) -- Gary Locke, the outgoing US ambassador to China, will leave the country on March 1, the South Metropolis Daily said on Wednesday, citing the US Embassy in Beijing.

Locke has said during an interview that he wanted his daughter to finish high school in the US, so he chose to go back to Seattle.

Max Baucus was sworn in by US Vice President Joseph Biden last Friday as the country's new ambassador to China.

But it is still unknown when Baucus will arrive.

Max Baucus sworn in as new US ambassador to China

Former US Senator Max Baucus was sworn in by Vice President Joseph Biden on Friday as the country's new ambassador to China.