What Xi Jinping’s letter to old friends in Iowa means in a struggling, altered America
When the presidents of the United States and China meet in Washington, the world will be watching to see whether their two countries can make good on their agreement to work towards “constructive strategic stability”. In the sixth part of a series, Khushboo Razdan looks at how a presidential appeal to America’s heartland is playing out. Of the countless preparations being made for Chinese…
In a letter sent on February 16, seven months before his White House visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of "constructive strategic stability" between the United States and China, stating that the hope of their relationship lies in the people, with grass-roots connections as its foundation and the youth shaping its future.
The letter was addressed to friends in Iowa, including Luca Berrone, Sarah Lande, Gary Dvorchak, Rick Kimberley, Terry Branstad, and students from a youth exchange program Xi announced in 2023. Xi reassured them that the will of the two peoples "will not change".
The letter may have been intended to soften the atmosphere ahead of Xi's visit, but it did not alter trade policy or market conditions. Iowa farmers, who appreciated the goodwill and friendship, continued to focus on "stable trade relationships and practical results". Grant Kimberley, son of former Iowa Governor Rick Kimberley, expressed his belief that Xi had a genuine appreciation for Iowa and its people.
However, the agricultural partnership that once provided significant support for Iowa was in decline due to severe trade war losses. US agricultural exports to China dropped from $24.5 billion in 2024 to $8.4 billion in 2025, causing a two-thirds contraction and pushing China from a top-five farm customer to sixth. Soybeans were particularly hard hit, with exports plummeting from $12.6 billion to about $3 billion.
The losses amounted to nearly $75 an acre for American soybean farmers, with China replacing Brazil as the primary soybean supplier.
The 2026 visit was seen as an opportunity for Xi to maintain personal relationships while also signaling China's continued desire for economic engagement with the United States. Iowa's agricultural sector, which had previously relied on soybean trade with China, now faced the challenge of adapting to a new reality. The success of the 2026 visit would depend on whether the new US cargoes continued to flow after Xi's departure, a test that Grant Kimberley and his fellow farmers eagerly awaited.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
