Interview: People-to-people exchange helps U.S. state, Chinese province build close ties

People-to-people exchanges have helped Iowa, the U.S. state in the midwest, and Hebei Province in north China, the two regions that have been separated by the Pacific Ocean since ages ago, develop a relationship like one family in a span of more than three decades.

The conclusion has been drawn by local officials from Iowa in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"When we go to Hebei, it's like going home, and they (referring to the people of Hebei) probably feel the same way, when they come here, they feel like it's their second home," said Kim Heidemann, executive director of Iowa Sister States.

"This is a very rich relationship. There are various exchanges, all sectors, from government officials to specialists and especially in agriculture, culture, art, dance," Heidemann said, "All through these years, wide range of exchanges, not only adults, but also students, they travel back and forth between Iowa and Hebei, there are students coming in October to attend the Youth Symposium. Government officials come back and forth, there are trade delegations."

Local American officials in Iowa have all given Chinese President Xi Jinping credit for the good rapport between Iowa and Hebei, considering Xi as the person who initiated people-to-people exchanges, or citizen diplomacy, in 1985 when Xi, then a local official of Hebei, visited Iowa as a member of an agricultural delegation, and stayed at the homes of local residents and dined with others.

Iowa and Hebei, both of which had relied on agriculture for economic development, established a partnership featurng sister-state-and-province relation in 1983, with the agreement being signed by Governor Terry Branstad of Iowa and Governor Zhang Shuguang of Hebei.

"We strive to connect Iowa to the international community, the sister states relations, so for the Iowa and Hebei, there is much benefits from adjusting people to know each other," said Heidemann.

Heidemann said that she personally learned a lot through the years having been worked on the Iowa-Hebei relation for ten and a half years.

"I have learned so much about China through our friends from Hebei, understanding the culture, we learned so much from each other, we believe they also learn much about America though their experience and interactions with Iowa."

Heidemann, who became the director of the Iowa Sister States three years ago, recalled when Xi Jinping revisit Muscatine, a small town in Iowa, in the capacity of China's vice president in 2012 to reunite with a dozen of his old American friends for a teatime chat there, Xi said to her: "To me, you are America."

Xi, who was elected Chinese president during the first session of the 12th National People's Congress held in March 2013, will pay a state visit to the United States in September.

"President Xi has given all of us a platform to have conversation, how important of building of international relation through citizen diplomacy, so we really appreciate that opportunity he has given us," Heidemann said.

Talking about this relationship's benefits, Heidemann said that "Hebei people not only represent China, for many of us, they've become more like a family. The people we worked in Hebei, we have known each other so well through the years. We exchange gifts on behalf our kids. There is so much mutual respect, We are happy to see each side is successful, we work so hard on our projects, when we work together, we truly work together, When we make a decision, we make it mutually."

"Hebei is a window of China for us to better understand China," she said, "What I think our greatest contribution of Iowa and Hebei is the relationship has produced something very tangible."

The state of Iowa has been leading in the clean energy development in the U.S., especially on the wind power sector. According to Iowa Wind Energy Association, until January, 2014, wind power shared 28.5 percent of the state's total power generation. Thanks to the strong relationship between Iowa and China, some Chinese companies have begun to invest in the wind power sector in Iowa.

Kurt Sherer, vice president of CSIC Chongqing Haizhuang Wind Power in America, a Chinese company in Iowa, told Xinhua that he have visited China several times and really enjoy working with Chinese company and Chinese people by building a good personal relationship. "I love the county, I love the people," Sherer said, "I think we can benefit the U.S. and China, both working together."

Sherer’s voice was echoed by Grant Kimberley, director of the market development of Iowa Soybean Association. Kimberley said that to build a good relationship with Hebei and China is very important, not only because China an important importer of soybeans from Iowa, but also “how you build a positive interactions between cultures, and a positive business interactions for additional trade.”

Terry Branstad, the governor of Iowa state now and also the state's governor in the year of 1983 also praised the Iowa-Hebei and China-U.S. relationship.

"I have been to China six times, "Branstad said, "So we very much valued the relationship".

"We are very honored and very proud to have that much interests from China in the state of Iowa," Branstad said, "I think having a spirit of cooperation and collaboration is in the mutual benefit of both countries."

"I don't think that's either country's interest to have a confrontation or sort of approach between China, which is the largest country in the world with growing economy and the United States." Enditem