Iowa governor Branstad to meet with Chinese governors

DES MOINES - Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad will be among five U.S. governors, six Chinese governors and officials of both countries meeting in Seattle next week to discuss opportunities for collaboration on clean technology and economic development.

The U.S. governors also will have an opportunity to meet privately with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday as part of his American visit. Xi and Branstad have a friendship that dates back to 1985, when Xi visited Iowa as part of a sister-state exchange.

According to Branstad's office, participants in the Third U.S.-China Governors' Forum will discuss areas of shared interest and mutual benefit, such as the promotion of energy efficiency in buildings and industries, commercialization and deployment of clean and renewable energy technologies, smart and modernized electrical grids, clean transportation options and more. The dialogue grows out of ongoing collaborations between each nation's national and subnational leaders to accelerate the development of clean energy economies and more, according to a new release issued by Branstad's office Friday.

Along with Branstad, the bipartisan group includes Govs. Jerry Brown, D-California, Rick Snyder, R-Michigan, and Kate Brown, D-Oregon. Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Washington, will be hosting the Chinese president, but will be able to attend a portion of the meeting with the six Chinese governors.