The United States Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad has announced he would be stepping down as tensions rise between the two countries.
Reports from Washington indicate that Branstad is expected to leave Beijing before the US Presidential election which will take place in November.
The announcement came at a time when ties between the US and China deteriorate rapidly. The Chinese government announced recently that it would be enforcing restrictions on top US diplomats and personnel in China in a bid to fight back after the US imposed similar measures on Beijing’s diplomatic corps.
United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo confirmed Branstad’s resignation in a recent Twitter post. While talking about Branstad, Pompeo said: “President (Donald Trump) 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.”
Branstad has managed one of the worst era of diplomatic relations between the United States and China in recent history. Since he assumed office, the White House has slammed tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods.
Also, Chinese technology firm, Huawei was banned from the country’s communications infrastructure and visa restrictions on Chinese media journalists working in the United States were tightened.
Branstad was one of President Trump’s first annointed ambassadorial candidates in December 2016, after Trump won the United States Presidential election.
