(Radio Iowa) – Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad recently returned to China, the country where he served as U-S Ambassador for three years. “We still do a significant amount of business with them,” Branstad says. “The Chinese appreciate the quality and the safety of American food. We sell them a lot of agriculture goods, but we’re very concerned about the aggressive relationship both in terms of economic and military.” Branstad resigned as ambassador to China in the fall of 2020. A year later he formed a consulting firm that gives advice on how to conduct business in China.

“Xi Jinping treated me well while I was there, but I’m certainly very concerned about the economic differences that we have,” Branstad says. Branstad met China’s president in 1985, when Xi was part of a delegation of Chinese officials who visited Iowa. Branstad says he’d like to see U-S relations with China get back to where they were when he was governor.

“I’m hopeful that it’ll get better,” Branstad says, “…It’s at a kind of a low point right now.” Branstad was in China with two other former U-S Ambassadors three weeks ago to launch the non-profit U-S China Green Institute, to promote collaboration on climate solutions in both countries.