Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (L) of the U.S. reaches out to shake hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing April 15, 2013.REUTERS/Andy Wong/Pool
Daily Mail: Smoothing things over? Trump 'very close' to naming Iowa governor and pal of President Xi Jinping as his Ambassador to China after risking major diplomatic row by speaking to Taiwan's leader on the phone
* Iowa Governor Terry Branstad likely to be appointed next ambassador to China
* Branstad and China’s President Xi Jinping have been friends for 31 years
* Appointment could help to heal possible rifts in U.S. foreign policy after President-elect Trump accepted call from Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen
* It was first official contact between US and Taiwanese officials for 37 years
* US severed ties in 1979 and sided with Beijing's 'One China' position
* It stated that Taiwan is Chinese territory and not an independent nation
* US has not recognized any Taiwanese leader as a head of state ever since
* Trump argued it was hypocritical to shun the island while selling it arms
* China has now launched a diplomatic protest after learning of the call
In what sounds like an unlikely partnership, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad could be about to become the next U.S. Ambassador to China.
Gov. Branstad is a long-time friend of Chinese premier President Xi Jinping, having visited the country several times and also welcoming the leader personally during a trip to the Hawkeye state in 2012.
The decision is expected to come within the next few days according to Bloomberg.
Over the past week, meetings between Branstad and members of President-elect Donald Trump's transition team have taken place in New York with further appointments believed to have been set up for next week.
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WNU Editor: If true .... this is a smart choice. Chinese diplomacy is all about personal relationships .... and it looks like President-elect Trump is aware of this.
4 comments:
I doubt Trump was actually aware of it. More like someone on his team name-dropped Branstad.
Yes. Heaven forbid Trump should get any credit for a smart move.
For a fairly obscure relationship, and for a man who once admitted himself that he was still learning the ropes and ins and outs of the job, yes... It's logically unlikely that he was aware of such a relationship between the Iowa governor and China's president. And that's going on the safe assumption that Trump and Branstad don't know each other.
Unless of course they do, and in that case then I'm sure it was trump.
Also - I supported Trump over Hillary, but I've not got my head so far up his ass that I can't see his faults. Unlike the Trump brigade that goes around on this blog.
D. Plowman, I associate myself with your comments. Spot on!
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