As the U.S.-China new Cold War situation becomes increasingly evident, the U.S. Senate approved the appointment of former Georgia Senator David Perdue as the U.S. Ambassador to China on April 29. This Trump loyalist with intertwined business and political backgrounds will become the frontline representative in the next phase of U.S.-China competition.

At 75, Perdue, who has served as CEO of Dollar General and as a high executive at Reebok and Sara Lee, has limited political experience. He lost to Democratic rising star Jon Ossoff in the 2020 Senate race and subsequently challenged Georgia Governor Brian Kemp but lost again. He is a staunch supporter of Trump, advocates for 'America First,' and holds a hostile stance toward China.

According to reports, Perdue openly criticized China's intentions to 'destroy democracy and capitalism' and referred to Xi Jinping as a 'modern emperor' in an article for the Washington Examiner. During a recent Senate hearing, he claimed China is reshaping the world order through 'Marxist nationalism,' expanding its nuclear capabilities since 2000, militarizing the South China Sea, and violating its commitments regarding Hong Kong.

While Perdue has issued strong warnings against China, he stated that if appointed ambassador, he will seek a 'nuanced, nonpartisan, and strategic vision' in the policy toward China, while affirming the One-China principle, supporting peaceful resolutions in the Taiwan Strait, and prioritizing the fight against Chinese exports of fentanyl precursors and human rights abuses.

The BBC pointed out that Perdue's appointment signifies a shift from professional diplomacy to political appointment for the U.S. ambassador to China, contrasting sharply with his predecessor, career diplomat Nicholas Burns appointed by the Biden administration. This reflects not just a personnel shift but a change in diplomatic strategy.

Reuters noted that Perdue’s influence will depend on whether his connection with Trump can translate into a 'backchannel.' In the context of the ongoing trade war, Trump has imposed a 145% tariff on China, to which Beijing retaliated with a 125% tariff. Although Washington claims that lower-level negotiations are ongoing, Beijing has publicly denied any negotiations are taking place, placing Perdue in a precarious position.

Dennis Wilder, a former White House China affairs director, stated that Beijing will be attentive to whether 'Perdue is there to convey a signal of U.S.-China confrontation and decoupling or if he is there to negotiate seriously.' On the Taiwan issue, Perdue has a friendly stance, having co-sponsored a bill in 2015 supporting Taiwan's participation as an observer in Interpol and supporting Taiwan’s involvement in the World Health Assembly in May 2017. He visited Taiwan in 2018 to meet then-President Tsai Ing-wen and expressed support during the deliberations on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in 2019.