Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. was named Saturday by President Barack Obama to be U.S. ambassador to China.

"I wasn't looking for a new job in life, but a call from the president changed that," Huntsman said, standing beside Obama at a White House press conference.

Obama described the importance of the post and asked Utahns to forgive him for taking away a popular governor.

"There are few countries in the world with a past so rich or a future so full of possiblities as China, with a vast population, growing economy and far-reaching influence, China will have a crucial role in confronting all the major challenges that face Asia and the world in the years ahead," the president said.

During the early morning announcement, the Democratic president noted the GOP governor had played a key role in the campaign of his rival for the Whtie House, Arizona Sen. John McCain. "I know Jon is the kind of leader who always put country ahead of party," the president said, noting he understood Huntsman's decision to join a Democratic administration would not be easy to explain to some in the GOP.

The appointment of Huntsman means Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert will take over as the state's chief executive. A special election for the governor's office will be held in 2010, under a new state constitutional amendment, for what will be the final two years of Huntsman's term. Both Huntsman's spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, and Herbert's chief of staff, Joe Demma, declined Saturday to answer questions about the transition, saying a press conference will be held at the Utah Capitol on Monday to announce the details.

Huntsman, a Republican, met late last year with representatives of the Democratic president's administration about a possible appointment. Politico.com reported late Friday that Obama planned to name Huntsman as ambassador to China, calling the governor "a rapidly rising star in the Republican Party" who "quickly emerged after November as one of the leading moderate GOP voices."

The governor, 49, has served as U.S. ambassador to Singapore, and was on a short list to fill the same role in China under President George W. Bush. He was also a U.S. trade ambassador to the region and has negotiated agreements with the Chinese government.

Huntsman speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese learned for an LDS Church mission to Taiwan. He and his wife, Mary Kaye, adopted a daughter from China.

As governor, he led a Utah trade mission to China during his first term. A Western Governors' Association trip to China this month that Huntsman would have led as the group's chairman was canceled, reportedly because of the swine flu outbreak.