Central Montana Times

U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced David Perdue at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing as President Trump's nominee for Ambassador to China. Both individuals share extensive experience in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China, due to their business backgrounds. Daines and Perdue were initially elected to the U.S. Senate together in 2014.

During his remarks, Daines described Perdue as a close friend and an experienced businessman who occupied senior roles at major companies, such as Sara Lee, Reebok, and Dollar General. Daines highlighted Perdue's past responsibilities as Senior Vice President of Asia Operations for Sara Lee and mentioned his frequent travels throughout Asia and Europe, focusing most notably on China.

Daines reflected on their time living in different parts of Asia, noting that while Perdue resided in Hong Kong and Singapore, he lived in Guangzhou, China, while working for Procter & Gamble. Despite not meeting during those years, their shared history was discovered when they joined the Senate in the same freshman class in 2015. Their collaboration included a significant trip to China in 2019, which played a role in forming the Phase One Trade Deal that was signed in 2020 by President Trump and Xi Jinping.

Daines expressed optimism about Perdue's potential contribution as an ambassador, noting the pivotal nature of the United States-China relationship, which constitutes over 40 percent of the world’s GDP. He emphasized the importance of advocating for American producers and combatting issues such as the fentanyl crisis. Daines stated, "Mexican drug cartels manufacture these lethal drugs with chemicals coming straight from China," and insisted that China must cease these exports.

Underscoring the challenges and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific under President Trump's renewed leadership, Daines asserted that the ambassador role requires someone who understands the geopolitical dynamics and the cultural nuances of China. He concluded with strong support for Perdue, describing him as "a man of faith and a man of character."