President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he has nominated former Georgia Senator David Perdue as the next US Ambassador to China, Al Jazeera reports.
The appointment comes as relations between Washington and Beijing remain deeply strained, with Trump signaling a potentially even more confrontational approach than his predecessor.
Trump lauded Perdue’s extensive international business experience, noting his background as a Fortune 500 CEO and his time living and working in Asia, including China and Singapore.
“As a Fortune 500 CEO, who had a 40-year International business career, and served in the US Senate, David brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China,” Trump said on Truth Social.
He added that Perdue would be “instrumental in implementing my strategy to maintain peace in the region and a productive working relationship with China’s leaders.”
While Perdue, a Senator from 2015 to 2021, adopted a hardline stance on China during his time in office – a position common within the Republican Party – his confirmation by the Senate is anticipated given the Republican majority
However, Perdue will face immediate challenges. Trump has vowed to initiate a broad trade war with China upon assuming office on January 20th, threatening a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods in retaliation for the flow of fentanyl into the US He has previously threatened even steeper tariffs, reaching 60% or more.
These threats escalate existing tensions. This week, the Biden administration imposed a third round of export controls targeting Chinese semiconductor companies, prompting retaliatory actions from Beijing, including export restrictions on key materials crucial for semiconductor and defense industries. Trump himself levied tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods during his first term, tariffs that Biden largely maintained and expanded upon.
The nomination of Perdue follows Trump’s appointment of tech investor David Sacks as his “crypto czar,” responsible for overseeing artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency policy. This appointment, alongside the selection of Paul Atkins – known for his pro-crypto and pro-business stance – to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, marks a significant win for the cryptocurrency industry.
