Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad heads to Washington, D.C., this week. He is one step closer to becoming the U.S. ambassador to China.

KCCI spoke with former U.S. ambassadors in Iowa to see what Branstad can expect as he goes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

They say he will be questioned on foreign trade and human rights, and add that senators will look to see that he can maintain relationships between the countries in a friendly and professional way.

“This is a very long, unique relationship between Iowa and China,” said Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia who served from 1996-1999. During his time in the Southeast Asian nation, Quinn searched for missing prisoners of war and U.S. military personnel.

Chinese President Xi Jinping first came to Iowa in 1985 on trade business. He met Branstad during his visit, and the two have been in close contact ever since.

“He has that personal relationship, so if there’s an issue that’s very difficult, he will have the opportunity to go quietly and privately and talk to President Xi Jinping one more time,” Quinn said.

Branstad is scheduled for a Tuesday hearing in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, something former U.S. ambassador to Barbados, Mary Kramer, has gone through.

“The members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will have questions for him regarding trade and human rights,” Kramer said.

“The job as ambassador has so many facets to it,” Quinn added. “It’s about security of Americans. It’s about security of your embassy. It’s about cooperating in areas like terrorism. It’s about business. There’s probably 100,000 Americans in China, (so he will be responsible for) protecting them and their well-being.”

Should Branstad gain the committee’s approval, the full Senate then votes on Branstad’s nomination. If confirmed, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds would become Iowa’s next governor.