The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Susan Schwab as new U.S. trade representative.

Schwab was approved as the new U.S. trade representative by voice vote in the Senate. She succeeds Rob Portman, who was picked by President George W. Bush in April to be the new White House budget director.

Schwab said in a statement that she would continue to push the administration's trade goals "to open new markets for American products and services and rigorously enforce the rules of trade."

Schwab, who had been a deputy U.S. trade representative since last November and was nominated by President Bush to the new post in April, will be Bush administration's third chief trade negotiator following Portman and Robert Zoellick who is now the deputy secretary of state.

Source: Xinhua