Iowa farmer lauds Xi's speech

Rick Kimberley, president of Kimberley Farms Inc in Maxwell, Iowa, said China's head of state Xi Jinping's pledge to improve the living standards of its people is commendable, and he welcomes Xi to return to his home and farm again.

Xi visited Kimberley's home and farm in 2012.

Asked what impressed him the most in Xi's report delivered at the opening of the 19th National Congress of the CPC on Wednesday, Kimberley said, "China's desire to improve the standard of living for its people is commendable, as is progress to be more transparent and to be a partner in world trade and economic cooperation."

In his report at the crucial twice-a-decade meeting, Xi pledged to build China into a "great modern socialist country" by mid-21st century.

Xi said that by then China will be a global leader in terms of composite national strength and international influence, with common prosperity for everyone basically achieved and the Chinese people enjoying happier, safer and healthier lives.

Xi also said China will only become more and more open.

"The world is small and its people are interconnected," Kimberley said. "The more we can engage and cooperate around areas of mutual interest, the better the quality of life for everyone."

For Kimberley, agricultural exchange and cooperation is one of those areas of mutual interest.

Last month, construction of a China-US Friendship Demonstration farm was started in Luanping county, Hebei province in northern China, which will include an educational agriculture site modeled after a farm near Maxwell owned by Rick and Martha Kimberley and their son Grant.

"Iowa and Hebei have a long-standing relationship, and the Kimberleys are looking forward to strengthening that relationship," said Kimberley, who visited Hebei in mid-September.

"It is also our desire to strengthen our relationship and friendship with all of China and the people of China," he said.

"We would welcome President Xi to return to our home and farm. Again, I would emphasize the importance of agricultural trade, as state and provincial relationships can be used as the ballast of overall China and US relations," Kimberley said.

He added that the US is the breadbasket of the world and a reliable supplier of soybeans, corn, pork, fish, dairy, beef and eggs.

"We have a strong relationship with China," he said, adding that the people of Iowa and China enjoy a long-standing relationship that has been forged by mutual cooperation and benefit.

"This will continue due in large part to agricultural trade between the countries. The US and China working together can accomplish mutual goals of improved food safety, quality and security," he said.