A broad majority of senators voted Monday to install President Trump’s choice to be the U.S. ambassador to China in his first term.
Gov. Terry Branstad, R-Iowa, was supported by most Democrats in the 82-13 vote, but that didn’t spare him completely from the partisan gamesmanship that has dominated Trump’s nominees’ paths through the Senate. Republicans faulted Democrats for slow-walking his nomination, despite their approval of the pick.
“It’s been disappointing to see so much pointless obstruction by our friends across the aisle,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor. “And they’ve done so not to change the result, but simply to eat up floor time that could be used for legislation to help our constituents.”
Branstad was approved unanimously by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee two weeks ago, but Democrats declined to allow Republicans to expedite his confirmation vote. “Our Democratic colleagues’ tactics really have little to do with the nominees themselves, they’re just delaying for delay’s sake,” McConnell said.
Branstad is a much-needed reinforcement for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has had to travel to China once already to discuss the burgeoning threat of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Branstad will be tasked as well with helping confront China’s assertion of sovereignty over the South China Sea, one of the most vital shipping lanes in the world, while also helping manage the U.S. economic relationship with the Asian power.
“I will work tirelessly to represent America and her citizens to the best of my ability,” Branstad told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during his confirmation hearing. “I will champion American interests in China with as much fervor and dedication as I have championed Iowa’s interests during my more than 22 years as governor.”
He hopes that those efforts will benefit from his experience hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping, who traveled to Iowa with an agriculture delegation in 1985.
“A connection was made and a friendship was founded,” Branstad said. “To this day, President Xi still speaks fondly of Iowa and the hospitality he enjoyed there so many years ago. If confirmed, I hope to use my unique position as an “old friend” of President Xi and a trusted confidant of President Trump to positively influence the U.S.-China relationship.”
