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Perdue, a former Republican US senator for the state of Georgia and a veteran business executive, was confirmed by the US Senate as ambassador to China last month. US President Donald Trump, Perdue’s long-time ally, conducted a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office on May 7 and told Perdue to “say hello to President Xi [Jinping] when you’re over there”.
Perdue announced his widely anticipated arrival in Beijing via social media on Thursday.
“It is an honour to represent President Trump,” he wrote in a post accompanied by a selfie taken outside the embassy building.
“I am ready to get to work here and make America safer, stronger and more prosperous.”
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Asked to comment on the envoy’s arrival, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday: “China’s position on China-US relations is consistent. We always view and handle Sino-US relations under the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and also hope that the US can meet China halfway.”
