The Midwestern governor President Donald Trump picked to be his ambassador to China pledged on Tuesday to confront Beijing on a range of contentious issues, including human rights and trade, and assured lawmakers he’ ll push the Chinese to act more…
The Midwestern governor President Donald Trump picked to be his ambassador to China pledged on Tuesday to confront Beijing on a range of contentious issues, including human rights and trade, and assured lawmakers he’ ll push the Chinese to act more aggressively to defuse North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said he hopes to leverage his decades-long relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping to advance US and international interests. “As an old friend, I’ d tell him where he’s falling short, ” Branstad said, telling senators he won’ t be bashful about raising uncomfortable topics. The two met in 1985 when Xi, at the time a provincial official, led an agricultural trade delegation to Iowa. Asked by Democratic Senator Bob Menendez if he considers China to be an enemy or an ally, Branstad paused and said it was a tough question. The relationship between the two economic powers fluctuates between those two extremes, Branstad said, and the US should strive to be partners with Beijing instead of adversaries. But China also has an obligation to play by the rules, he said. Branstad said he won’ t hesitate to meet with Chinese dissidents and activists and would even welcome them to the US embassy in Beijing. He also said he intends to travel to every province in China just as he’s travelled to every county in Iowa.
