Briefing with U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad
On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, Ambassador Terry Branstad joined us virtually from Beijing to give a briefing on U.S.-China relations. He has served as U.S. Ambassador to China since May 2017 and discussed recent developments and challenges in the U.S.-China bilateral relationship amid COVID-19.
Danny Russel, Vice President of International Security and Diplomacy at Asia Society Northern California will moderate the briefing.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY
Ambassador Terry Branstad was confirmed by the Senate to serve as Ambassador of the United States to the People’s Republic of China in May 2017.
Ambassador Branstad previously served two tenures as Governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and from 2010 to 2017. Between these terms, he served as President of Des Moines University (DMU). In 1978, he was elected as Iowa’s Lieutenant Governor and before that he was elected to the Iowa House in 1972, 1974, and 1976.
Ambassador Branstad earned his Juris Doctor from Drake University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Iowa.
MODERATOR BIOGRAPHY
Daniel Russel is Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI). Previously he served as a Diplomat in Residence and Senior Fellow with ASPI for a one year term. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service at the U.S. Department of State, he most recently served as the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Secretary on July 12, 2013, Mr. Russel served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director for Asian Affairs. During his tenure there, he helped formulate President Obama’s strategic rebalance to the Asia Pacific region, including efforts to strengthen alliances, deepen U.S. engagement with multilateral organizations, and expand cooperation with emerging powers in the region.
In 1996, Mr. Russel was awarded the State Department's Una Chapman Cox Fellowship sabbatical and authored America’s Place in the World, a book published by Georgetown University. Before joining the Foreign Service, he was manager for an international firm in New York City.
Mr. Russel was educated at Sarah Lawrence College and University College, University of London, UK.