Sputnik News, a Russian state-owned news agency and radio broadcast service, recently reported that the U.S. State of Iowa’s Friendship Committee hosted a commemorative event on April 24th marking the 40th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s first visit to Iowa. The event, held in Des Moines amid escalating China-US trade tensions, highlights the persistence of Beijing’s “local diplomacy” efforts. According to Liu Yanjun, a researcher at Peking University’s National Governance Research Institute, “cooperation between local governments and civil organizations in both countries remains strong and authentic despite federal-level frictions.” The event brought together approximately 150 attendees, including representatives from Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang City, Zhengding County, and Xi’s old friends from Iowa.
Concurrently, Yang Wanming, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, led a delegation to visit Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Iowa between April 20-25, engaging with state and city governments, business communities, foundations, cultural institutions, and universities. Participants emphasized that trade wars are unsustainable and that China and the US should be partners rather than competitors. They advocated maintaining people-to-people exchanges, strengthening local cooperation, and promoting youth exchanges to enhance mutual understanding.
Liu noted that local-level exchanges “demonstrate remarkable resilience and play a positive role in alleviating trade tensions and reducing misunderstandings.” Iowa, as a major agricultural state, has deep trade connections with China, and its farmers and business community felt the negative impact of tariffs during the 2018 trade disputes.
Sputnik wrote that “these grassroots relationships help strengthen public opinion foundations for bilateral relations, break down prejudices, and stabilize trade connections. Many US supply chains depend heavily on the Chinese market, creating tight economic bonds that add stability to the relationship.”
Xi’s connection with Iowa dates back to 1985 when, as a county official from Hebei Province, he visited to study agricultural technology. He returned in 2012 as Vice President and reunited with his Iowa friends in San Francisco in 2023.
Source: Sputnik News, April 29, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250429/1065231740.html