State dinner is chance for Iowa-China ties to grow stronger, Branstad says

Tonight's state dinner at the Capitol Chinese Vice President with Xi Jinping presents an opportunity for Iowa to enhance an already healthy relationship with the Asian nation, according to Gov. Terry Branstad.

“It's a great opportunity for the state of Iowa to have this old friends reunion … and an opportunity to make new friends and build what I think can be an even closer relationship in the future,” Branstad said this morning as preparations continued for the dinner that will be served in the Capitol rotunda.

Branstad has a long-standing personal relationship he has with Xi going back to the latter's 1985 visit to the state when Xi was a lower-level government official and Branstad was in his first term as governor.

Now Branstad is in his fifth term as Iowa's chief executive and Xi is next in line to be China's president. Despite hosting a variety of foreign dignitaries and being the guest on numerous international trade missions, tonight's state dinner is a big deal to the governor.

“This is one of the biggest deals I've ever been involved in,” he said.

House Speaker House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, said the state dinner was an opportunity to put aside whatever political differences might exist between China and the United States and celebrate the relationship between Iowa and Hebei province.

“I think China, obviously, has a unique history and I think that's just the way it is,” Paulsen said when asked about criticism of the communist nation voiced by GOP presidential hopefuls while campaigning in Iowa. “We acknowledge at the same time that China is a huge trading partner with the state of Iowa and this is a big night for Iowa.”

Branstad described the gala dinner as an “all-Iowa event.” In addition to Iowa foods including beef and pork, Iowa wines and beers, Branstad said the gifts to be presented to the Chinese delegation will be the work of Iowa artists.

He declined to name the artists ahead of the presentations but said the gift to Xi will be “very appropriate and something that will be a meaningful remembrance of his visit.”

Iowa Public Television will provide a live online video stream of the opening remarks of the dinner at 8 p.m. at

http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/26220/chinese-vice-pres-xi-jinping_20120215