Terry Branstad, US ambassador to China, apparently leaving post
WASHINGTON – Terry Branstad is apparently leaving his post as the United States’ ambassador to China, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated in a series of tweets early Monday.
According to The Associated Press, Pompeo took to the social media site to thank Branstad, 73, for his service.
“I thank Ambassador Terry Branstad for his more than three years of service to the American people as U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China,” Pompeo wrote. “President @realDonaldTrump chose Ambassador Branstad because his decades long experience dealing with China made him the best person to represent the administration and to defend American interests and ideals in this important relationship.”
Pompeo added: “Ambassador Branstad has contributed to rebalancing U.S.-China relations so that it is results-oriented, reciprocal and fair. This will have lasting, positive effects on U.S. foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific for decades to come.”
The tweets came after China’s state-run People’s Daily newspaper recently declined to publish an op-ed Branstad had written, the AP reported. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry called the piece “full of loopholes” and said it “wantonly attacks and smears China,” according to the news agency.
No further details were immediately available.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.
