(Xi's U.S. Visit) Interview: U.S. governor expects more trade with China from Xi's upcoming visit

A U.S. governor has said that he hopes Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the United States will bring his state more trade opportunities with China, especially in agriculture and renewable energy.

"We are very proud that Xi Jinping is now coming back to visit the United States as the president of the People's Republic of China," Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said in a recent interview with Xinhua on Xi's first state visit to Washington scheduled for next week.

"Even before Xi Jinping became the president, he was a strong advocator for trade and building the relations between our two countries," said Branstad, who considers Xi as an old friend.

"Under his leadership we hope that it will get even better," he said.

"China has become a major trading partner with the United States and Iowa is one of the major exporters, especially of agricultural and manufactural goods," the governor said.

As a leading domestic producer for corn, soybeans and pork, Iowa is now enjoying a tailwind from China's growing middle class and booming market.

Statistics from the U.S.-China Business Council show that Iowa's exports to China amounted to 2.9 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 391 percent from 2005.

Branstad, now in his sixth term as the state's governor, said he believed there's a fine opportunity to further expand trade relations between the two countries as Xi strongly pushes for economic reforms in China.

"We are very excited about the reforms and the changes that he is making and the opportunities for additional trade," said the governor, who has been to China six times in the past 30 years.

"We want to continue to encourage additional trade between our two countries," he said.

Branstad sees areas of renewable energy, food and feed products as great opportunities for trade between Iowa and China.

"We've gone from being an energy dependent state that imported most of its energy in the area of fossil fuels to now being a leader in renewable energy," the governor said.

He believed that "it's a wise decision" for China to invest in renewable energy and work with companies in Iowa that have a great deal of experience in ethanol, bio diesel, wind and solar energy.

"I think it's good for the environment, it's good for the economy and it will also enhance our trade relationship," said the governor, who believed renewable energy could become a bright spot of U.S.-China economic cooperation.

Branstad also highlighted the state's friendly relationship with Xi.

"We are very pleased that President Xi is the leader of China because he knows Iowa and he loves Iowa, and we are very proud to have him as a friend," he said.

Xi led an agricultural delegation from China's northern Hebei province to Iowa in 1985, visiting local farms, factories, picnics as well as a local family in the city of Muscatine, said Branstad when recalling Xi's first tour to Iowa 30 years ago.

Branstad was in his first term as the U.S. Midwestern state's governor in 1985.

During a visit to the U.S. as Chinese vice president in 2012, Xi returned to Muscatine. The profound friendships between Xi and ordinary American people have impressed many people, including Branstad.

"Those personal relationships have brought us close together...," said the governor.

"We hope he has a very fruitful and successful visit to the United States," Branstad said, dismissing the campaign rhetoric of China bashing by some U.S. presidential candidates.

"I don't agree with the people who want to create the confrontational attitude," he said. "I think having a spirit of cooperation and collaboration is in the mutual benefits of both countries."

"I am hopeful that the next president of the United States will lead to additional cooperation, additional trade and not confrontation," he added. Endi