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IPFS News Link • Trump Administration

Trump Picks Iowa Governor Branstad As US Ambassador To China, Beijing Calls Him "Old Friend

• zerohedge.com by Tyler Durden

Earlier in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang called Branstad an "old friend" of China when asked about a report on the appointment, although he added Beijing would work with any U.S. ambassador.

The appointment of Branstad will likely ease trade tensions between the two countries, the world's two biggest agricultural producers, diplomats and trade experts said according to Reuters. It also suggests that Trump may be ready to take a less combative stance towards China than many expected, the experts said.

"We welcome him to play a greater role in advancing the development of China-U.S. relations," he told a daily news briefing. Branstad has likewise called Chinese President Xi Jinping a "longtime friend" when Xi visited Iowa in February 2012, only nine months before he became the Chinese leader.


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