Iowa Governor: China-US joint efforts required to feed growing population

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By CGTN's Grace Shao

Iowa Governor Kimberly Reynolds has been on an agricultural trade mission in China for the past week.

This is Reynolds' fifth time in China. Her first trade mission as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa was in China. Now, as governor, she emphasizes that the Chinese market is indispensable to Iowa. The governor is accompanied by delegates from seven different commodity groups who are hoping to build stronger ties with China.

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Reynolds met with Vice Premier Wang Yang in Beijing on Tuesday, when the two officials discussed a variety of issues of common concern, including China-US trade ties and agricultural cooperation.

Wrapping up her trip, Reynolds believes agricultural cooperation between Iowa and China is crucial for feeding the growing world population.

Commercial exchanges between China and Iowa have seen fast growth in recent years, with Reynolds leading the cooperation.

Statistics show that Iowa's service exports to China quintupled from 2006 to 2015.

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Growth in goods exported last year was over 2.5 times of that a decade ago.

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China has become the second largest goods export market for Iowa with 2.3 billion US dollars in exports following Canada.

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Last year, Iowa's top four goods exported to China were oilseeds and grains, beverages, meat products and leather.

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Meanwhile, in 2015, exports between the two sides supported more than 18,000 jobs in America.

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Reynolds says she is happily surprised that Iowan products are seen as a symbol of safety and quality. She says that as the Chinese middle class grows, the demand for higher-quality agricultural goods will increase.

When asked whether she is worried about the local Chinese competition, as things will naturally be cheaper than imported goods, Reynolds expressed confidence and believes the quality of Iowan goods will speak for themselves.