When Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ team vetted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate, his Midwestern roots and background as a teacher, coach and veteran distinguished him from the typical “coastal elite”. However, it’s unclear whether her team considered Walz’s ties to China to be an asset or a potential liability.
Walz first travelled to China in 1989-1990 to teach in the southern city of Foshan. In subsequent years, he organised study tours to China. By 2016, Walz had visited China some 30 times, including a honeymoon trip after marrying a fellow teacher on June 4, 1994, the fifth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. He also earned a nickname in his time there: 田华 or “fields of China”.
Republicans and the conservative media have viewed Walz’s China ties with suspicion. Senator Tom Cotton demanded an explanation for Walz’s relationship with China. And Senator Marco Rubio proclaimed, “Walz is an example of how Beijing patiently grooms future American leaders”.
