Daines Introduces Trump Nominee for Ambassador to China David Perdue at Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing

• April 4, 2025

"We need an ambassador who is clear-eyed about the geopolitical realities we face…that person is David Perdue"

U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced David Perdue as President Trump's nominee for Ambassador to China. Senator Daines and former Senator Perdue share a background in business that led them both to work extensively in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically in China. Daines and Perdue were elected to the U.S. Senate together in 2014.

Watch Daines' introduction HERE.

Daines remarks as prepared for delivery:

Thank you, Chairman Risch, Ranking Member Shaheen and fellow members of the committee.

It's my honor to introduce a good friend of mine and former member of this committee, Senator David Perdue as President Trump's nominee for Ambassador to China. Welcome back, David-in fact he once served as Chairman of the subcommittee on State Department Oversight.

I have known David for 10 years, as a friend and as a colleague. David is a devoted husband, father and grandfather and we welcome his family who are here and those watching today.

David had a successful career as a businessman, having worked at several large companies. He served as Senior Vice President of Asia Operations for Sara Lee and was the CEO of the Reebok brand and Dollar General.

As part of his work, he frequently traveled to Asia and Europe, but most extensively to China.

Ironically, he lived in Hong Kong and Singapore at the same time I lived in Guangzhou, China, when I worked for Procter & Gamble.

Even though our paths never crossed, we both gained significant perspective on the relationship between the United States and China.

It wasn't until we found ourselves in the same freshman class of Senators in 2015 that we discovered our shared history. We became fast friends and close colleagues, working together on a number of consequential projects.

Most notably, in 2019 we travelled to China together where David was instrumental in helping negotiate the Phase One Trade Deal that President Trump and Xi Jinping signed in 2020.

With President Trump back in the White House and with new challenges and opportunities facing us in the Indo-Pacific, the United States' ambassador to China is one of the most consequential foreign policy posts in the administration.

The economies of the United States and China make up over 40 percent of the world's GDP. To put it simply, this relationship is too big to fail.

Now more than ever, we need an ambassador advocating for American producers, companies and manufacturers and expanding our market access.

The United States is also facing an unprecedented drug war-last year nearly 100,000 Americans died due to fentanyl poisoning.

So, where is this fentanyl coming from?

Mexican drug cartels manufacture these lethal drugs with chemicals coming straight from China. China must do its part and stop exporting these raw materials across the globe.

These challenges are daunting. We need an ambassador who is clear-eyed about the geopolitical realities we face but one who also possesses a deep understanding for the culture and customs of the Chinese people.

That person is David Perdue.

David Perdue is a husband, father, grandfather, a man of faith and a man of character.

He loves his country and will put America first at home and abroad.

David, thank you for getting back in the arena, and thank you for being willing to serve our great country.

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Contact: Matt Lloyd, Rachel Dumke