By Staff, Agencies

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said early Monday that US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad would leave the post.

“I thank Ambassador Terry Branstad for his more than three years of service to the American people as US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China,” Pompeo tweeted.

“Ambassador Branstad has contributed to rebalancing US-China relations so that it is results-oriented, reciprocal, and fair,” he added.

Pompeo did not give a reason for Branstad leaving his role.

Citing an unnamed source, the CNN reported that Branstad was likely to leave Beijing before the November US presidential election.