CRI听力:Iowa to Enhance US-China Agricultural Co-op

As part of his meetings here in China, Grant Kimberly, head of market development for the Iowa Soybeen Association, has had another opportunity to meet with Vice President Xi Jinping.

Kimberly says he believes Xi Jinping is determined to strengthen agricultural cooperation between the two nations.

"Vice president Xi made the comments that China and US, and Iowa agriculture, in that positive relationship we have, is like ballast in a big moving ship going across a roaring ocean, where it can serves a foundation for positive relationship in long-term dialogue between our two countries. So agricultural is really a key foundation for our common interest."

Kimberley's family business is just one of many soybean producers in Iowa which is likely to benefit from the 6.7-billion US dollar purchasing deal Xi Jinping signed-off on during his time in the midwest US state.

"One of the things we've been blessed as U.S. soybean farmers is we do have a vast growing region, very good soil, very good weather. We are also very adept to different technology, utilizing various equipments as GPS, to improve efficiency, ensure sustainability and increased the yields, and also to protect the environment. For things we can work together include food security, food safety, sustainable agriculture, bio-technology and we can foster long-term biz relationship in strategic partnership. "

Iowa's Lieutenant Governor, Kim Reynolds, heads the delegation from Iowa.

She says China is of vital importance to her state.

"When I had the opportunity to visit China in June, we visited several different provinces and had business luncheon, which gave us opportunities for us to talk about the potential, to not only export to China, but to have China's investment to Iowa. We talk about our location, we talk about our wonderful tax policy, and most importantly, we talk about our great resources. We have great infrastructure in place to meet their needs for companies to make investment in Iowa. We have several plants, where we have different companies from China looking for investment and cooperation with them."

Beijing is the first leg of the Iowa trade mission's visit to China.

Later this week, the group will travel to Shanghai and Ningbo to meet with logistics companies and soybean traders.

For CRI, I'm Zhang Shuangfeng.