The U.S. Senate has confirmed Gary Locke as U.S. ambassador to China.

The Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to confirm U.S. President Barack Obama’s appointee. Locke, currently the U.S. Commerce Secretary, will become the nation’s first Chinese-American ambassador to China.

He replaces Jon Huntsman, who left the post to launch a Republican bid for the presidency.

During a confirmation hearing in May, Locke told a U.S. Senate committee that the Chinese government must do more to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.

He also promised to raise concerns about China’s human rights record. He said he had “vigorous disagreement” with China over the issue of human rights, including China’s crackdown on journalists, lawyers, bloggers, artists and religious groups.