How a Midwest governor rose to become America’s top official in China
Trump administration hopes Terry Branstad’s long-standing friendship with Xi Jinping will smooth often-strained ties between the two nations
Terry Branstad, who has accepted the offer as the United States’ next ambassador to China, will rise from humble Midwest politician to a place on the world stage – handling the complex yet far-reaching relationship between the world’s two most powerful nations – once his appointment is confirmed by the US Senate.
The 70-year-old Republican governor, who has devoted much of his career to his state of Iowa, and has no prior diplomatic experience, may not seem like an obvious choice for US envoy in Beijing.
When you see someone like Xi Jinping, who is very honest and sincere and has long-time friends in Iowa, I think it’s going to help reassure people that we can trust and work with him
But his personal relationship with President Xi Jinping as his “longtime friend” could be one major reason why he was chosen by US president-elect Donald Trump for the crucial role.
Branstad was also an early backer of Trump’s presidential campaign and helped the Republican candidate win the state of Iowa. Trump called Branstad “our prime candidate to take care of China” two days before the election at a rally in the state.
“Governor Branstad’s decades of experience in public service and long-time relationship with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders make him the ideal choice to serve as America’s ambassador to China,” Trump said in a statement after the appointment was announced.
In his new role, the Iowa governor may have to leave behind his links with the Freemasons group, which has been banned on the mainland.