Trump picks longtime friend of Beijing as U.S. ambassador to ChinaBEIJING/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Iowa Governor Terry Branstad as the next U.S. ambassador to China, choosing a longstanding friend of Beijing after rattling the world’s second largest economy with tough talk on trade and a telephone call with the leader of Taiwan. The appointment may help to ease trade tensions between the two countries, the world’s two biggest agricultural producers, diplomats and trade experts said. Branstad has visited China at least six times, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has traveled to Iowa twice, including once while Branstad was governor. Branstad’s appointment also suggests that Trump may be ready to take a less combative stance toward China than many expected, the experts said. Trump in a statement cited Branstad’s qualifications including experience in government and longtime relationships with Xi and other Chinese leaders. The nomination, which will be formally made once the Republican president-elect is sworn in on Jan. 20, was well received, even among some Democrats. “He’s tenacious, and trust me, with the Chinese, you need to be tenacious,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, said of Branstad. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton in last month’s election, has said that when he takes office he intends to declare China a currency manipulator, meaning it keeps the yuan artificially low to make its exports cheap, and has threatened to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the United States. Added to that, his unusual decision to accept a call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last week prompted a diplomatic protest on Saturday from Beijing, which considers Taiwan a renegade province. Trump’s transition team played down the exchange as a courtesy call, but the White House had to reassure China that its decades-old “one-China” policy was intact. Branstad’s established personal connection with China could help smooth a relationship defined largely by international security matters and by bilateral trade, where the massive U.S. trade deficit with the country is a source of friction. “It means that the Trump team understands that it is important to have an ambassador who has access to Xi Jinping,”  Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said of the pick. Branstad called Xi a “longtime friend” when Xi visited Iowa in February 2012, only nine months before he became China’s leader. On Wednesday, Branstad said he and Xi have had a “30-year friendship” and added: “The president-elect understands my unique relationship to China and has asked me to serve in a way I had not previously considered.”  Before his nomination was announced, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang called Branstad an “old friend” of China when asked in Beijing about a Bloomberg report on the appointment, although he said China would work with any U.S. ambassador. “We welcome him to play a greater role in advancing the development of China-U.S. relations,” he told a daily news briefing. Xi’s ties to Iowa go back more than 30 years: He visited Iowa in 1985 on an agricultural research trip when he led a delegation from Hebei Province, returning 27 years later and reuniting with some of the people he had met. Trump’s stance on China has been in particular focus since Friday’s call with Tsai, the first such top-level contact with Taiwan by a U.S. president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter adopted a “one-China” policy in 1979, recognizing only the Beijing government. China is the United States’ largest trading partner in goods. But imports from China far outstripped U.S. exports, making for a trade deficit with China of $336.2 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Specific U.S. trade concerns include allegations that China is dumping steel and aluminum in global markets below the cost of production, hurting American producers. In the agricultural sector, the United States has been unable to get Beijing to lift anti-dumping measures on U.S. broiler chicken products and an animal feed ingredient known as distillers’ dried grains (DDGS). China is one of Iowa’s biggest export markets, so Branstad is well placed to deal with China-U.S. trade issues, said Professor Huang Jing, an expert on Chinese politics at the National University of Singapore. “This really sends a message that Donald Trump wants to handle China at the bilateral relationship level,” he said. Branstad, 70, visited China most recently as the leader of a trade mission that made stops in Beijing and Hebei in November. He will be “somebody who clearly understands agriculture representing U.S. interests” in China, said Dale Moore, executive director for public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation. politicsNews
trump picks longtime friend beijing ambassador york reuters donald trump nominate iowa governor terry barnstar next ambassador china choosing longstanding friend beijing battling world second largest economy tough talk trade telephone call leader taiwan the appointment may help ease trade tensions two countries world two biggest agricultural producers diplomats trade experts said barnstar visited china least six times chinese president xi winning traveled iowa twice including barnstar governor barnstar appointment also suggests trump may ready take less combative stance toward china many expected experts said trump statement cited barnstar qualifications including experience government longtime relationships xi chinese leaders the nomination formally made republican sworn well received even among democrats he tenacious trust chinese need tenacious agriculture secretary tom vilsack former iowa governor said barnstar trump defeated hillary clinton last month election said takes office intends declare china currency manipulation meaning keeps yuan artificially low make exports cheap threatened impose punitive tariffs chinese goods coming united states added unusual decision accept call taiwan president tai last week prompted diplomatic protest saturday beijing considers taiwan renegade province trump transition team played exchange courtesy call white house reassure china policy intact barnstar established personal connection china could help smooth relationship defined largely international security matters bilateral trade massive trade deficit country source friction it means trump team understands important ambassador access xi winning bonnie laser china expert center strategic international studies think tank washington said pick barnstar called xi longtime friend xi visited iowa february nine months became china leader on wednesday barnstar said xi friendship added the understands unique relationship china asked serve way i previously before nomination announced foreign ministry spokesman lu kang called barnstar old friend china asked beijing bloomberg report appointment although said china would work ambassador we welcome play greater role advancing development relations told daily news briefing xi ties iowa go back years he visited iowa agricultural research trip led delegation here province returning years later reuniting people met trump stance china particular focus since friday call tai first contact taiwan president since president jimmy carter adopted policy recognizing beijing government china united states largest trading partner goods but imports china far outstripped exports making trade deficit china billion according trade representative specific trade concerns include allegations china dumping steel aluminum global markets cost production hurting american producers in agricultural sector united states unable get beijing lift measures boiler chicken products animal feed ingredient known distillery dried grains dogs china one iowa biggest export markets barnstar well placed deal trade issues said professor hung jing expert chinese politics national university singapore this really sends message donald trump wants handle china bilateral relationship level said barnstar visited china recently leader trade mission made stops beijing here november he somebody clearly understands agriculture representing interests china said dale moore executive director public policy american farm bureau federation politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Trump picks longtime friend of Beijing as U.S. ambassador to ChinaBEIJING/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Iowa Governor Terry Branstad as the next U.S. ambassador to China, choosing a longstanding friend of Beijing after rattling the world’s second largest economy with tough talk on trade and a telephone call with the leader of Taiwan. The appointment may help to ease trade tensions between the two countries, the world’s two biggest agricultural producers, diplomats and trade experts said. Branstad has visited China at least six times, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has traveled to Iowa twice, including once while Branstad was governor. Branstad’s appointment also suggests that Trump may be ready to take a less combative stance toward China than many expected, the experts said. Trump in a statement cited Branstad’s qualifications including experience in government and longtime relationships with Xi and other Chinese leaders. The nomination, which will be formally made once the Republican president-elect is sworn in on Jan. 20, was well received, even among some Democrats. “He’s tenacious, and trust me, with the Chinese, you need to be tenacious,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, said of Branstad. Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton in last month’s election, has said that when he takes office he intends to declare China a currency manipulator, meaning it keeps the yuan artificially low to make its exports cheap, and has threatened to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the United States. Added to that, his unusual decision to accept a call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last week prompted a diplomatic protest on Saturday from Beijing, which considers Taiwan a renegade province. Trump’s transition team played down the exchange as a courtesy call, but the White House had to reassure China that its decades-old “one-China” policy was intact. Branstad’s established personal connection with China could help smooth a relationship defined largely by international security matters and by bilateral trade, where the massive U.S. trade deficit with the country is a source of friction. “It means that the Trump team understands that it is important to have an ambassador who has access to Xi Jinping,”  Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said of the pick. Branstad called Xi a “longtime friend” when Xi visited Iowa in February 2012, only nine months before he became China’s leader. On Wednesday, Branstad said he and Xi have had a “30-year friendship” and added: “The president-elect understands my unique relationship to China and has asked me to serve in a way I had not previously considered.”  Before his nomination was announced, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang called Branstad an “old friend” of China when asked in Beijing about a Bloomberg report on the appointment, although he said China would work with any U.S. ambassador. “We welcome him to play a greater role in advancing the development of China-U.S. relations,” he told a daily news briefing. Xi’s ties to Iowa go back more than 30 years: He visited Iowa in 1985 on an agricultural research trip when he led a delegation from Hebei Province, returning 27 years later and reuniting with some of the people he had met. Trump’s stance on China has been in particular focus since Friday’s call with Tsai, the first such top-level contact with Taiwan by a U.S. president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter adopted a “one-China” policy in 1979, recognizing only the Beijing government. China is the United States’ largest trading partner in goods. But imports from China far outstripped U.S. exports, making for a trade deficit with China of $336.2 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Specific U.S. trade concerns include allegations that China is dumping steel and aluminum in global markets below the cost of production, hurting American producers. In the agricultural sector, the United States has been unable to get Beijing to lift anti-dumping measures on U.S. broiler chicken products and an animal feed ingredient known as distillers’ dried grains (DDGS). China is one of Iowa’s biggest export markets, so Branstad is well placed to deal with China-U.S. trade issues, said Professor Huang Jing, an expert on Chinese politics at the National University of Singapore. “This really sends a message that Donald Trump wants to handle China at the bilateral relationship level,” he said. Branstad, 70, visited China most recently as the leader of a trade mission that made stops in Beijing and Hebei in November. He will be “somebody who clearly understands agriculture representing U.S. interests” in China, said Dale Moore, executive director for public policy at the American Farm Bureau Federation. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: trump picks longtime friend beijing ambassador york reuters donald trump nominate iowa governor terry barnstar next ambassador china choosing longstanding friend beijing battling world second largest economy tough talk trade telephone call leader taiwan the appointment may help ease trade tensions two countries world two biggest agricultural producers diplomats trade experts said barnstar visited china least six times chinese president xi winning traveled iowa twice including barnstar governor barnstar appointment also suggests trump may ready take less combative stance toward china many expected experts said trump statement cited barnstar qualifications including experience government longtime relationships xi chinese leaders the nomination formally made republican sworn well received even among democrats he tenacious trust chinese need tenacious agriculture secretary tom vilsack former iowa governor said barnstar trump defeated hillary clinton last month election said takes office intends declare china currency manipulation meaning keeps yuan artificially low make exports cheap threatened impose punitive tariffs chinese goods coming united states added unusual decision accept call taiwan president tai last week prompted diplomatic protest saturday beijing considers taiwan renegade province trump transition team played exchange courtesy call white house reassure china policy intact barnstar established personal connection china could help smooth relationship defined largely international security matters bilateral trade massive trade deficit country source friction it means trump team understands important ambassador access xi winning bonnie laser china expert center strategic international studies think tank washington said pick barnstar called xi longtime friend xi visited iowa february nine months became china leader on wednesday barnstar said xi friendship added the understands unique relationship china asked serve way i previously before nomination announced foreign ministry spokesman lu kang called barnstar old friend china asked beijing bloomberg report appointment although said china would work ambassador we welcome play greater role advancing development relations told daily news briefing xi ties iowa go back years he visited iowa agricultural research trip led delegation here province returning years later reuniting people met trump stance china particular focus since friday call tai first contact taiwan president since president jimmy carter adopted policy recognizing beijing government china united states largest trading partner goods but imports china far outstripped exports making trade deficit china billion according trade representative specific trade concerns include allegations china dumping steel aluminum global markets cost production hurting american producers in agricultural sector united states unable get beijing lift measures boiler chicken products animal feed ingredient known distillery dried grains dogs china one iowa biggest export markets barnstar well placed deal trade issues said professor hung jing expert chinese politics national university singapore this really sends message donald trump wants handle china bilateral relationship level said barnstar visited china recently leader trade mission made stops beijing here november he somebody clearly understands agriculture representing interests china said dale moore executive director public policy american farm bureau federation politicsnews