Branstad and Xi: From possibilities, an enduring relationship

Jack Kintzle was part of a welcome wagon in 1985 that cast such a positive light on Iowa it sparked a decades-long friendship between Xi Jinping, who would go on to become China's president, and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad - now thrusting Branstad and Iowa into the spotlight of U.S.-Chinese relations.

Branstad, who was nominated as U.S. ambassador to China last year although has not yet been confirmed, has met with Chinese officials a handful of times over the past 30-some years. The relationship has blossomed and the impact has been far-reaching for the state, say officials in business, trade and education.

Hospitality laid the groundwork for the good relations, but Kintzle observed a measure of strategy and foresight by Branstad in encouraging the warm, respectful welcome in the midst of the farm crisis.

'Iowa was going through such a tough time with agriculture, especially farm foreclosures,” said Kintzle, 73. 'Iowa was at a level we needed publicity and we wanted to open doors. I think that's one of the reasons they were treated so well. How many million Chinese are there? I think he saw an opportunity to trade. I think the governor sensed the possibilities.”

Pending confirmation, Branstad plans to move to Beijing with his wife, Chris, his daughter and son-in-law and granddaughters as he works to enhance the relationship between the two countries, he said during a celebration with Chinese officials during the Lunar New Year earlier this year in Muscatine.

'I'm an old friend of China,” Branstad said there. 'I've very honored and very proud that I've had a number of interactions with China and the leadership of China. We've seen great improvement in terms of exchanges and trade. Exchanges of students is one way to improve personal relationship and friendships. That is critically important to both of our countries and the world.”

Branstad would step in amid heightened tensions between the United States and China over trade equity, punitive tariffs and how to handle North Korea. Branstad was not scheduled to be at the meeting in Florida late last week between President Donald Trump and Xi.

Kintzle was an Iowa Corn Growers Association director with a farm near Coggon in the summer of 1985 when Xi - then a county-level party leader Kintzle equated to a state secretary of agriculture in America - toured Iowa farms as part of a small agricultural delegation from Hebei province.

Kintzle's farm was right off the highway and convenient, so he got a call wondering if the delegation could visit. Soon, a small group of Chinese men wheeled up and spent a few hours inspecting machinery, grain bins and harvesters, then came inside for coffee. At the end, they took pictures together.

'They go back to China, he becomes president, and I farm for the next 30 years,” Kintzle said. 'I should have bought a lottery ticket. Although, having a president on my farm might be better than winning the lottery.”

Branstad, then in his first term as Iowa governor, was instrumental in the visit, including hosting a then-unheralded Xi in his office.

By the time of the visit, Branstad already had signed an agreement establishing a sister-state relationship between Iowa and Hebei. In 1984, he led a 50-person delegation to Hebei. It was the first of six trade missions Branstad led to China.

Branstad next traveled to China as part of a three-country trade mission in fall 1993, marking the 10-year anniversary of the sister-state relationship. The goal was to expand markets for agricultural products, appliances, machinery and other exports, as well as stress in China Iowa's commitment to human rights and treating people with dignity.

'We think that one of the things that helped lead to the downfall of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe was all the contacts to the West - the sister states, the trade missions and the understanding that the people gain from that,” Branstad said at the time. 'I feel somewhat the same way about trade and building relationships in China.

'We can, hopefully, help push the Chinese state in the direction of more freedom and opportunity for the people as opposed to the old policy of trying to isolate them,” he added.

The early legwork has made a difference for Iowa. China is the fourth-largest export market for Iowa, with $490.6 million worth of manufactured and value-added goods, according to the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

China's spending supports 4,000 jobs, and 5,000 'young talents” are studying in Iowa universities, Hong Lei, consul general based at the Chinese Consulate of Chicago, said during the recent Muscatine visit.

'I would say because of the sheer fact he's been involved, he's never let go,” said Kim Heidemann, executive director of Iowa Sister States. 'He's continued to nurture this relationship. He goes to visit, goes to meetings. He's hosted meetings. The governor has made it a point. He's simply done things right, especially in the last few years with Xi and done it in such a way he puts Iowa first.”

The trips to China, and return visits from Chinese officials, have continued.

Xi returned to visit Muscatine and Des Moines in 2012 for an 'old friends” reunion dinner stemming from the 1985 trip, and 20 Iowans traveled to China that same year for another reunion. Branstad also participated in trade missions in 2014 and 2016.

Downing Thomas, a professor and dean of International Programs at the University of Iowa, traveled with Branstad to China in 2012.

The delegation also included elected officials from Wisconsin and Virginia, along with a handful of business people and educational leaders. The significance of Branstad's relationship with Xi was evident in the respect and attention he received compared with the other visitors. The China Daily newspaper sought him out specifically for an interview.

Iowa universities and colleges have seen enrollment among Chinese students soar in the past 10 years. More than 4,000 Chinese students are enrolled at the three state universities alone. While the influx of Chinese college students is seen beyond Iowa's borders, the relationship between Iowa and China has helped Iowa schools, Thomas said.

'Clearly many of our students are aware of the relationship with Xi and Iowa, and their parents are aware of it.” Thomas said.

The economic impact from international students and their families in Iowa topped $365 million and has supported or created 3,700 jobs, according to an annual report from International Programs. Thomas estimates more UI alumni are living in China than anywhere else outside of Iowa and Chicago.

The visibility of Branstad's relationship with Xi and Branstad's personal involvement has opened doors for Iowa companies, such as West Des Moines-based Hy-Line International.

Tom Dixon, director of international sales and marketing for Hy-Line, which is one of the world's largest breeders of laying hens, said the company received direct and indirect assistance from Branstad's office in forging a relationship between it and the Huayu Group, based in Hebei.

Branstad was present at a deal signing in October 2013 between the companies for a breeder housing project in Hebei province. That show of support was important in a later deal in 2016 for a joint venture to distribute Hy-Line chicks in China. The ceremonial nature of the signing, particularly with someone on friendly terms with Xi, carries a lot of influence for local, state and regional officials in China, Dixon said.

'There's some coincidence, but it certainly helped,” Dixon said. 'Branstad put more prestige and elevated the deal. It gave more of an official nature, credibility it's a real project. In China, government involvement is so very important for companies. It helped locally (in China) to get approvals.”

In China, Dixon explained, support of government officials and good relations between business and government is vital. Government officials need to sign off on acquisitions, permits and land sales, for example.

Dixon is hopeful Branstad's agricultural background will help ease restrictions on poultry imports in China, which have been curtailed since the bird flu outbreak in 2015. He declined to be specific, but said it has cost Hy-Line millions of dollars.

'We've been working to try to negotiate things with health officials in China,” Dixon said. 'We hope the governor of a large agricultural state could maybe lend influence to motivate or encourage some kind of solution so we can start exporting again. We hope his level of ambassador could facilitate and shed some light on the situation.”

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