President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated Caroline Kennedy to be US ambassador to Australia, the White House said.
Kennedy, 64, is the daughter of John Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States who was assassinated in 1963.
She previously served as US ambassador to Japan from 2013-2017 under former President Barack Obama.
Australia is a key ally to the United States and that relationship has strengthened in response to China's growing power and increasingly assertive behavior in Asia and beyond.
Kennedy's experience in Japan should be helpful in Canberra given that Australia and Japan are both members of the so-called Quad grouping, which includes the United States and India, that has been expanding cooperation in the face of China's rise.
