To appease China, United States President-elect Donald Trump is counting on China's "old friend," Iowa's Governor Terry Branstad, who will take a new post as U.S. Ambassador to China. Prior to his inauguration, Trump earned Beijing's ire when he took a "congratulatory" call from Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen.
On Tuesday, Trump announced in Iowa its governor is the "prime candidate to take of China" for the latter's friendship with the East Asian country that was forged as early as in 1985, according to a report from NPR. The year 1985 was also the time when Brandstad sat for the first time as the state's governor.
The gist of his job is to interpret to China on behalf of Trump. Recently, the President-elect has been at the center of controversy for his behavior in social media, particularly on Twitter.
The U.S.' stand in South China Sea disputes is also something to factor in when the governor takes on his job as the ambassador. But more than these, an ambassador, according to Zha Daojiong, a Peking University professor, should "function as a bridge between the different voices of both societies."
The friendship between Terry Branstad with the present President Xi Jinping began in 1985. On that year, a certain Xi Jinping, an agricultural official hailing from Hebei Province, paid a visit to Iowa and the two officials hit it off so that their friendship grew over the years.
Through the years as well, both officials ascended to higher positions. By 2011, Brandstad, as Iowa's governor, was managing the state's export business to China.
Branstad and Xi exchanged tokens of friendship, such as photos and some artworks, which according to a report, are on display at Branstad's office. But being the American Ambassador to China is not an easy undertaking. Even Brandstad admitted to such.
Although Branstad has his friendship with a Chinese official as proof of his skills in doing business with China, his latest post spells a huge difference. Notwithstanding however, the governor is positive he can find ways for the two economies to have cooperation.
Brandstad served as Iowa's 39th governor between 1983 and 1999 and is serving as its 42nd governor since 2011. He is a supporter of outgoing President Barack Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is heavily criticized by President-elect trump. Trump, who labeled the partnership as a disaster, vowed to scrap it after he is sworn in as President.
China has issued an earlier statement, cautioning any state who would attempt to violate the "One China" policy, which claims Taiwan as part of China.