Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has served as governor of Iowa since 2011, after previously serving from 1983 to 1999. | Getty Trump picks Branstad as ambassador to China

President-elect Donald Trump has announced Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as his nominee to be ambassador to China.

In announcing the nomination, which Branstad has accepted, Trump's transition team touted the governor's Iowa experience and longstanding relations with Chinese officials, noting that he led a delegation to China's Hebei Province in 1984 and has led several other since.

Branstad's statement accepting the role labeled Chinese President Xi Jinping "an old friend" and touted the economic benefits of the relationship between the world's two largest economies.

Then a low provincial official, Xi met with Gov. Branstad in 1985 during an agricultural exchange. The visit made enough of an impact that Xi made a point of returning to Iowa in 2012, during a tour of the country before he was elevated to the presidency.

"I have known President Xi Jinping for many years and consider him an old friend. I look forward to building on our long friendship to cultivate and strengthen the relationship between our two countries and to benefit our economy," Branstad said.

The Trump team's announcement also promised Branstad "supports President-elect Trump’s mission to negotiate trade deals that put America’s interests first. He will work with President-elect Trump’s economic team to negotiate fair trade deals that create American jobs, increase American wages, and reduce America's trade deficit."

The language underscores the uncertainty in future U.S.-China relations, as Trump has accused China of unfair economic practices and promised to change the cross-Pacific trade relationship. It also follow a flap over Trump's phone call with Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen, breaking almost four decades of silence between the country’s leaders in deference to China’s refusal to recognize Taiwan.

Still, before the Branstad pick was announced, China’s Foreign Ministry appeared to welcome it at a Wednesday press conference.

“We welcome him to play a greater role in advancing the development of China-U.S. relations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a press briefing and called Branstad an “old friend.”

And, in a thinly veiled shot at Trump, the foreign ministry spokesman added: "We hope that people who take a responsible attitude and commit themselves to maintaining China-U.S. ties and promoting bilateral cooperation can make remarks based on solid facts so that bilateral mutual trust can be enhanced."

Branstad is the longest serving governor in American history, in his second stint as governor of Iowa, having previously served from 1983 to 1999.

Like many establishment Republicans, Branstad's record differs significantly with the president-elect's skepticism of free-trade. As governor of major agricultural hub, the native Iowan takes particular pride in the trade missions, three of which have been to China, that he has taken since regaining the governorship in 2010.

An outspoken advocate for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Branstad co-wrote a letter to President Obama and congressional leaders in 2013 pushing for a number of pending trade deals, including the partnership.

In fact, when the partnership was finalized, Branstad, who conceded that the deal was not perfect, appeared with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman in Des Moines and along with the governors of Virginia and Louisiana called on Congress to ratify TPP in July.

Trump has promised to pull the U.S. out of the pact with 11-nations, mostly in the Asia-Pacific region, that amounts to one of the largest free trade agreements ever. As a candidate, he repeatedly dinged Hillary Clinton for her involvement in trying to reach the agreement as secretary of state.

Last January, Trump told Breitbart that "the TPP is another terrible one-sided deal that rewards offshoring and enriches other countries at our expense."

Branstad also told reporters in Iowa, just over a month before the election, that he would continue to impress upon Trump just how much trade benefits state executives like himself.

"Governors like me understand how important trade is to the economy of our states, so I want to make sure whoever wins this election ... that we're doing everything we can to open these markets," Branstad said during his weekly news conference on Oct. 3.

Tim Albrecht, a former spokesman for the governor, downplayed any differences between Branstad and Trump. But added that there was no more conciliatory pick for the ambassadorship than Branstad.

"The offer would not have been made and accepted if there was not some basic level of agreement," Albrecht said.

If confirmed, Branstad would succeed Max Baucus in Beijing.

Shane Goldmacher contributed to this report.