Rubio swears in David Perdue as Trump’s new U.S. ambassador to China ahead of high-stake talks

President Donald Trump introduced David Perdue as the new U.S. ambassador to China on Wednesday at the White House.

During a ceremony in the Oval Office, State Secretary Marco Rubio swore in the former Georgia senator ahead of high-stakes China-U.S. trade talks in Switzerland.

“I’m entrusting David to help manage one of America’s most complex and consequential foreign relationships, and I know he’ll do a fantastic job,” Trump said.

Related story: China rolls out more stimulus and agrees to trade talks with the US as tariffs hit economy

Trump increased tariffs on imports from China as high as 145% and Chinese President Xi Jinping retaliated with 125%.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and other Chinese officials on Saturday and Sunday in Geneva.

Related story: The more Trump talks about making trade deals, the more confusing the tariff picture gets

Watch the ceremony

Here is a list of facts about the new ambassador:

• Perdue, 75, earned engineering and research degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology
• He established Sara Lee’s first headquarters in Asia
• He was the chief executive officer of Reebok and Dollar General
• Perdue defeated Michelle Nunn and took office as a senator in 2015 and lost in 2021
• He celebrated the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement
• Trump endorsed Perdue when he ran for governor of Georgia and lost

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