‍By CGTN’S Roee Ruttenberg

The Chinese delegation to the China-US Think Tank Symposium in Des Moines is led by Zhao Qizheng, a former minister with the Chinese State Council Information Office.

In his opening remarks on Monday, Zhao quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping, noting that there are a thousand reasons to improve trade, but no one reason to harm it.

Former Minister of China's State Council Information Office Zhao Qizheng (Rear) addresses the US-China Think Tank Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, US, on June 12, 2017. /Xinhua Photo‍

Think Tank is a part of a larger diplomatic strategy that includes not just government-level diplomacy, but public diplomacy, people-to-people exchanges and academics.

The context being concerned, by some, that protectionist language coming from Washington may jeopardize bilateral trade between the world’s two largest economies.

It now stands at more than 500 billion US dollars. The Trump administration points out that trade dis-proportionally favors China, and the White House wants to see more American exports going to China to balance it out.

China-US Think Tank Symposium kicks off in Des Moines, Iowa, US, June 12, 2017. /CGTN Photo

The symposium is part of a 100-Day Plan to talk trade. It is the first meeting being held in Iowa and the first time many in the Chinese delegation have visited the US state, known for its agricultural exports and for once hosting President Xi in his earlier years.

Iowa is one of the mid-western US states now rolling out special measures to attract Chinese investment. It is also a politically important state in the US. Its early presidential primaries every four years help influence who ends up in the White House.

Former US Ambassador to China Stapleton Roy said talk is good and important. But he warned that behavioral patterns are currently not consistent with the rhetoric, and, he said, there could be consequences.

Chinese Consul General in Chicago Hong Lei (C, Rear) addresses the US-China Think Tank Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, US, on June 12, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Meanwhile, Hong Lei, the Chinese Consul General in Chicago, said the relationship with the US is too important. He added that meetings like these are vital for the exchanges of ideas.

Iowa marks an important moment for China-US trade

A delegation of Chinese officials visited the tiny town of Muscatine in the US state Iowa on Sunday. The visit comes at a crucial time as President Xi and his US counterpart Donald Trump work toward fulfilling a 100-day deadline for lifting barriers that impede trade.

A delegation of Chinese officials visit the Kimberly Farms in Muscatine, Iowa, US, June 12, 2017. /CRI Photo

President Xi stayed in an Iowan house briefly while he studied agriculture in Iowa in the mid-1980s. The Sino-US Friendship House in Muscatine is fast becoming a must-see, if perhaps unlikely destination.

China continues to study large scale US agricultural methods for growing the crops to help fuel the growing appetites of the millions of people.

A delegation of Chinese officials visit the Kimberly Farms in Muscatine, Iowa, US, June 12, 2017. /CRI Photo

China is also buying crops and machines that help in their production in unprecedented quantities. And that is driving explosive export growth in US states like Iowa.

China has about 20 percent of the world’s population but only nine percent of the world’s arable land.

The US wants to boost exports to China to reduce a huge trade deficit.