Branstad, Chinese officials say longtime friendship will pay future benefits

MUSCATINE - Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says the 'longtime friendship” between himself and China, and Iowa and China, will help navigate challenging times ahead if he is confirmed as President Donald Trump's pick as ambassador to China.

'I know it's a big challenge,” Branstad said Wednesday of the ambassadorship. 'I know there's a lot of issues we are going to have to deal with but I think the longtime friendship and respect we have for each will help us overcome those challenges.”

Branstad added he wants to 'enhance the relationship and continue to increase trade” opportunities for the United States, mentioning pork and soybeans, specifically, which are staple commodities in Iowa.

Branstad spoke Wednesday evening at a reception honoring his work fostering a relationship between China and Muscatine. Later, he and Hong Lei, consul general based at the Chinese Consulate of Chicago, attended a free performance by an internationally acclaimed Chinese orchestra at Calvary Church.

The Shaanxi province Song and Dance Theater National Orchestra played as part of a celebration of the Lunar New Year. Branstad and others wore a red sash as festive accent for the occasion, which was covered by a dozen or so Chinese journalists.

Branstad would move into the role at a time of heightened tensions between the two economic powers.

Trump has criticized trade deals benefiting China to the detriment of the United States, Trump abandoned protocol in speaking directly with the Taiwanese leader in December and China has taken steps to enact tariffs that could have a negative impact on U.S. agriculture, according to Bloomberg Politics.

China's top Midwestern dignitary - Hong - expressed confidence in Branstad as the pick for ambassador.

'We are so glad our old friend is nominated by President Trump as new U.S. ambassador to China,” Hong said. 'We are very confident he will join hands with us to make this relationship even stronger.”

The evening put an exclamation point on the unique relationship between China and Branstad - Iowa and Muscatine, in particular. Xi Jinping, who is now China's president, visited Muscatine in 1985 as part of an agricultural delegation and formed a relationship with Branstad, who was governor at the time.

The two have maintained a friendship that has benefited cultural and economic exchanges between Iowa and China. Hong noted the longevity of friendships is important in Chinese culture.

China is the third largest exporting market for Iowa, and the country has spent $1 billion in Iowa, supporting 4,000 jobs, and 5,000 'young talents” are studying in Iowa universities, Hong said.

He called Muscatine 'the cradle of China-U. S. friendship,” and predicted the relationship between the two countries would 'flourish” in the new year.

'Our relationship could have the utmost important bearing on the world's future and human's destiny,” Hong said. 'This is the most important relationship nowadays in the world. We think it is very much important for us to keep the good momentum of the China-U. S. relationship, keep it as steady, as smooth, as healthy as possible.”

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