U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with former U.S. Senator David Perdue during Perdue’s swearing-in ceremony to be the new U.S. ambassador to China, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 7, 2025.
Leah Millis | Reuters
President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to China was sworn in on Wednesday, days before White House officials are set to meet with their Chinese counterparts for the first time since Trump announced his 145% tariffs.
“What timing … what timing, only you could’ve picked this timing,” Trump quipped from the White House at Republican former Sen. David Perdue’s swearing in ceremony.
“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 of the former Georgia lawmaker.
“Say hello to [Chinese President Xi Jinping] when you’re over there, please,” Trump added.
Perdue assumes his diplomatic post days before high-stakes talks get underway in Switzerland between American and Chinese officials.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their Chinese counterparts in Geneva Saturday and Sunday.
Both Wall Street and Main Street are eager to see the talks tamp down the sky-high trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Perdue said that he is “glad to be [Trump’s] man in China,” during his Oval Office ceremony.
Trump reiterated on Wednesday that he would not consider rescinding the tariffs on China to kick-start negotiations, raising questions about whether the two nations will reach any deals this weekend.
The two nations have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war since April 2 that has injected widespread uncertainty into the U.S. economy.