Trump administration stays tough on China

BEIJING: The departing U.S. ambassador on Tuesday defended a tough approach to China that has riled relations between the world’s two largest economies, saying the Trump administration has made progress on trade and that he hopes it will extend to other areas.Terry Branstad, the longtime Iowa governor who was chosen by President Donald Trump to be envoy to China, said the Trump administration is seeking the same treatment for American companies and individuals in China that their Chinese counterparts get in America.

“I think in the area of trade, we’ve got their attention and we’re making progress,” he said in an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. “I hope we can in the other (areas), in terms of the treatment of our media, the treatment of our diplomats.”

Branstad is returning to Iowa this weekend after three years and three months as ambassador in Beijing, the longest he and his wife have lived outside of his home state. No successor has been named.

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After launching a trade war in 2018 and seeking to restrict Chinese telecom giant Huawei on national security grounds, the Trump administration has further ramped up pressure on China this year. It imposed restrictions on Chinese diplomats and journalists; closed the Chinese consulate in Houston and repeatedly criticized China on multiple fronts, from its handling of COVID-19 to its military moves in the South China Sea and its human rights record in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang region, home to a largely Muslim population. China has rebuked the U.S. and responded in kind, closing a U.S. consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu. With almost daily heated exchanges, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that ties face their gravest challenge since the normalisation of relations in 1979.

Branstad downplayed such fears, noting the relationship has weathered ups and downs in the past. He conceded, though, that there is concern that pressure on China could lead to a downward spiral of growing restrictions.

“The unfortunate thing is we’re trying to rebalance the relationship so we have fairness and reciprocity, but every time we do something, they keep it unbalanced,” he said.

Branstad, who travelled widely in China during his stint, complained about needing to get government approval for every visit. He asked to go to Tibet three times before his visit last year. Once there, though, he said he had open exchanges with students and teachers. Elsewhere, his experience varied.

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He cited the so-called phase one trade deal, reached in January, and China’s agreement to list fentanyl as a controlled substance as positive developments. The U.S. has been trying to reduce the flow of the opioid from China. On trade, China promised to strengthen protection of foreign technology rights and trade secrets. China has made similar promises in the past, and companies say they are waiting to see how the commitments are carried out.

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