US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad is leaving his post

(Patria) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad is leaving his post.

- I thank Ambassador Terry Branstad for more than three years of service to the American people as Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, Pompeo said via Twitter on Monday morning.

He added that Ambassador Branstad has 'contributed to rebalancing US-China relations' which have thus become 'results-oriented, reciprocal, and fair', according to the US Secretary of State's post on the social network Twitter.  

Pompeo did not state the reason for Branstad's departure, who has extensive diplomatic experience regarding China, nor did he announce a possible successor for this significant diplomatic position.

This announcement comes amid rising tensions between the US and China on multiple fronts; the Chinese government announced on Friday that it plans to impose restrictions on several US diplomats and staff in China after Washington introduced similar measures for Chinese diplomats on September 3.

CNN reported that Branstad will leave Beijing by the US presidential election in November.

Branstad's appointment as Ambassador to China was one of the first decisions of then-newly elected President Trump in December 2016.