WASHINGTON AP — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, now the Democratic vice presidential nominee, is facing scrutiny over his past connections with China.
At 25, Walz spent a year teaching high school in China. He later visited for his honeymoon and continued to return with American exchange students. As a congressman, he served on a committee focused on China’s human rights issues and met figures like the Dalai Lama.
Republicans are now criticizing Walz for his extensive history with China, accusing him of having a close relationship with “Communist China.” They have even launched an investigation into his past connections, including his student trips to China. Republican Rep. James Comer has requested information from the FBI to determine if Walz was targeted by or recruited for Chinese influence operations.
Walz’s spokesman, Teddy Tschann, defended him, pointing out that Walz has a strong record on standing up to China’s Communist Party and supporting human rights and democracy. He accused Republicans of twisting facts to distract from other issues.
Critics like Richard Grenell and Senators Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio have called Walz’s relationship with China problematic, questioning his loyalty and connections. Walz has described his time in China positively, expressing sympathy for the Chinese people and criticism of their government.
Walz’s return trips to China included his honeymoon in 1994, coinciding with the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. As a congressman, he continued to advocate for human rights and met with pro-democracy figures like Joshua Wong.
China’s government has kept a low profile on Walz’s background, advising alumni from the school where he taught not to discuss him publicly due to the sensitive nature of U.S.-China relations.
Experts suggest that despite these political attacks, China does not expect U.S. policy to change significantly regardless of who wins the election. They believe it is possible to have experience with China while still maintaining a critical stance toward its government.