America’s ambassador to China is being replaced. The initial word about the move involving Terry Branstad came in the late-night tweets of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who praised generously.
But there was no word on whether an update was being made or why. Neither was President Trump’s call to update Branstad or Branstad’s next job mentioned. He’s a former governor from Iowa.
I am sure that the move will come at a time when tensions develop between the two superpowers on several fronts and with Trump’s re-election crusade in full motion. The president blamed Beijing for the coronvirus pandemic and called COVID-19 “the Chinese virus. “
Branstad recently became concerned about an outbreak when the official Chinese people’s newspaper rejected a column he had written, but there is no indication whether the controversy had anything to do with his departure.
“I thank Ambassador Terry Branstad for his more than 3 years of service to other Americans as U. S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China,” Pompeo tweeted.
“President Trump chose Ambassador Branstad because his decades of delight in china relations have made him the most productive user to form the administration and protect American interests and ideals in this vital relationship,” Pompeo continued. “Ambassador Branstad has helped rebalance the United States – Chinese relations on results, reciprocal and equitable. This will have lasting positive effects on U. S. foreign policy in Asia-Pacific over the coming decades. “