Analysis: Biden's pick for U.N. envoy will find waning American influence

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield (L) and Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete participate in a civil society forum during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington August 4, 2014. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden's pick to be his ambassador to the United Nations in New York will have to tackle Washington's waning leadership at the world body in the face of a more assertive China, diplomats and analysts said on Monday.

Biden nominated veteran U.S. diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield and restored the post to a Cabinet role. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Thomas-Greenfield would succeed President Donald Trump's two U.N. envoys - first Nikki Haley, who was in the Cabinet and later Kelly Craft, who was not. Both had little foreign policy experience before taking up the role.