Gary Locke speaks during an event in Tianjin in this May 22, 2010 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

BEIJING - US Ambassador Gary Locke said on Wednesday that he will step down from his position early next year to rejoin his family.

"When I met with President (Barack) Obama earlier this month, I informed him of my decision to step down as Ambassador in early 2014 to rejoin my family in Seattle," Locke said in a statement to the media.

"Serving as the US Ambassador to China has been the honor of a lifetime," said Locke, adding that he is "profoundly grateful" to President Obama for providing him the opportunity to serve as the president's representative in Beijing over the past two-and-a-half years. Locke is the first Chinese-American to hold the post.

Locke said it has been an immense and rewarding challenge to help manage one of the most vitally important bilateral relationships for the United States, with so many critical American interests at stake.

"Living in China while representing the United States has truly been an exciting privilege for our entire family," said the statement.

Locke said that during his term, the embassy has focused its efforts on job creation in America by increasing exports to China, opening more markets for American companies, and promoting Chinese investment in the United States.

"We have significantly increased Chinese business and tourism travel to the US by dramatically reducing wait times for visas to 3-5 days from historical highs of 70-100 days," he said in the statement.

Locke said that as ambassador, he knows that US-China relations continue to grow stronger.

"While our bilateral relationship is a complex one, I remain confident in the ability of our leaders to manage differences and increase cooperation in areas of mutual concern to the benefit of not just our two great peoples, but the entire world," he added.

Ambassador Locke's Statement on Serving as US Ambassador to China

US ambassador to Beijing Gary Locke on Wednesday announced that he will step down as ambassador next year and the following is his statement:

Serving as the US Ambassador to China has been the honor of a lifetime. I am profoundly grateful to President Obama for providing me the opportunity to serve as his representative in Beijing these past two and a half years - and to be the first Chinese-American to hold this position. Helping manage one of the most vitally important bilateral relationships for the United States, with so many critical American interests at stake, has been an immense and rewarding challenge. And living in China while representing the United States has truly been an exciting privilege for our entire family.

When I met with President Obama earlier this month, I informed him of my decision to step down as Ambassador in early 2014 to rejoin my family in Seattle.

I am extremely proud of the work of our staff at the US Embassy and Consulates in China and what we have been able to accomplish together on behalf of the American people and for US-China relations.

Our efforts have focused on job creation in America by increasing exports to China, opening more markets for American companies, and promoting Chinese investment in the US We have significantly increased Chinese business and tourism travel to the US by dramatically reducing wait times for a visa to 3-5 days from historical highs of 70-100 days. And we have advanced American values by meeting with religious leaders and human rights lawyers, and visiting Tibetan and Uighur ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang.

Finally, as I reflect on my tenure as Ambassador, I do so knowing that US-China relations continue to grow stronger. While our bilateral relationship is a complex one, I remain confident in the ability of our leaders to manage differences and increase cooperation in areas of mutual concern to the benefit of not just our two great peoples, but the entire world.