President meets 'old friend' in Beijing

Xi stresses provincial-level exchanges during meeting with US governors

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad renewed his decades-long friendship with President Xi Jinping when they met in Beijing on Monday, for the fifth time.

Calling Xi "my old friend" and shaking his hand warmly, the 67-year-old said it is exciting to celebrate Iowa's 30 years of being a sister state with Hebei province and to see the great advance in Iowa's agricultural cooperation with China.