U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on agriculture at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S. June 21, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States had a “great relationship with China” as he stood beside former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, the new U.S. ambassador to Beijing.

“We have a great relationship with China and I really like President Xi,” Trump said in a speech at an Iowa community college. The comment came a day after Trump said Chinese efforts to persuade North Korea to rein in its weapons programs had failed.