Meet Trump’s pick for ambassador to China

• US President-elect Donald Trump appointed David Perdue as US ambassador to China.
• Perdue, a former senator and business executive, has extensive experience in Asia.
• Trump’s nomination comes amid trade tensions with China. He has threatened increased tariffs on Chinese goods.

The incoming US president, Donald Trump, has chosen former senator David Perdue as US ambassador to China.

A business executive before entering politics, Perdue has lived in Singapore and Hong Kong.

“He will be instrumental in implementing my strategy to maintain peace in the region and productive engagement with China’s leaders,” Trump wrote on The truth Social. highlight Perdue’s. experience with Asia and China and calls him a “loyal supporter and friend.”

Perdue said he is “truly honored” to accept Trump’s nomination.

“Having lived in Asia on two occasions, I understand the gravity of this responsibility and look forward to implementing President Trump’s strategy to make the world safe again and representing America’s interests in China.” Perdue wrote the X.

Trump’s nomination of Perdue as ambassador to China comes at a time of tension between the world’s two largest economies.

Trump, who takes office on January 20, has threatened 60% tariffs on all Chinese imports into the US on his campaign trail. Last month, Trump said he intended to impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods because of China’s role in the fentanyl trade.

Business and golf with Trump

Perdue served as a senator for Georgia from 2015 to 2021, where he was the only former Fortune 500 CEO to serve in the Senate.

Like Trump, the Georgia native entered politics after decades in the business world. Perdue is also an avid golfer, which helped him bond with Trump.

Perdue said Trump often called him — at any time — to strategize or brainstorm policy ideas.

“As a businessman, we have one thing in common,” Perdue told Business Insider in 2018. “Number one, all we want is results. He’s not an ideologue. He hasn’t been up here in the Washington bubble in all these years , fighting these partisan wars He just wants to get results.

Perdue lost the Senate re-election election to Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, in January 2021.

Although Trump chose Perdue citing its experience with Asia, that same experience had also come under scrutiny in the past when it involved outsourcing.

“Yes, I spent most of my career doing that,” Perdue said, referring to his outsourcing experience, in a July 2005 deposition during a corporate lawsuit, per Political in a report from 2014.

During his tenure as a senator, the Justice Department investigated him for insider trading, but no charges were filed.

Broad business and retail experience

Perdue attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1972.

He also holds a master’s degree in operations research from the same university.

Perdue started his career at Kurt Salmon Associates, a consulting firm.

He then held several positions before his foray into Asia.

From 1991 to 1992, Perdue worked for the international clothing company Gitano in Singapore and then for Sara Lee in Hong Kong.

Following these stints, Perdue held a number of high-level positions, including at Dallas-based Haggar Clothing, where he joined as senior vice president of operations, and Reebok, where he joined as SVP of their footwear business. He was Rebook’s CEO in 2001.

In 2003, Perdue joined Dollar General, where he became CEO. Perdue was the first person outside the Turner family to run the discount chain.

Perdue grew Dollar General, adding over 2,000 stores to the chain. In 2007, the capital fund KKR acquired it.

In 2014, Perdue launched his bid for Georgia’s open Senate seat.

After losing in the 2021 Senate runoff election, Perdue set his sights on Georgia’s gubernatorial race.

In 2022, Perdue lost the GOP gubernatorial primary to Brian Kemp.