Branstad: Iowa to showcase its best for Chinese visitors

Gov. Terry Branstad said he is hopeful this week's Iowa visit by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping will open new economic and cultural ties between a major U.S. farm state and a top international trading partner.

“We're very excited about this,” Branstad said of Xi's visit, which includes stops in Muscatine and Des Moines that retrace some of the places he visited when came to Iowa in 1985. “This is a unique opportunity for Iowa and we're very hopeful that Vice President Xi will find it to be just as friendly and accommodating and enjoyable as his first visit here 27 years ago.”

Xi, the future leader of the mainland China, will lead a 160-member delegation that will include Cabinet-level officials, business leaders, officials from Iowa's sister state in Hebei, and other Chinese dignitaries.

The highlight of Xi's visit will be a formal state dinner at the Iowa Capitol that Branstad said will “showcase the best Iowa cuisine” -- pork and beef entrées, a corn side dish and beers and wines from Iowa. The two leaders will host a ceremonial toast to welcome the state dinner participants, which included an invitation list for all 150 Iowa legislators, members of the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, top state elected leaders and selected Iowa department directors and business leaders.

The Chinese delegation's visit will include a tour of the Kimberly corn and soybean farm near Maxwell along with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

“Building relationships is vital to building a strong economic future for our state,” Branstad said, noting that personal relationships are valued by the Chinese people. “We believe that new economic opportunities can results from this visit as well.”

The governor said he has been informed that Tibetan, human rights and other protesters are expected to travel by charter bus from Minnesota and other locales to mark Xi's visit. Branstad said demonstrators from both pro and con sides are expected and will be accommodated in designated areas on the Capitol complex.