United States presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ selection of Tim Walz as her running mate has generated significant attention and controversy in China.
Walz, who first visited China in 1989—the same year the military brutally suppressed pro-democracy protests—has a background that many in China find questionable, AFP reports.
Controversial Timing
In 1989, demonstrators in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square called for democratic reforms, leading to a violent crackdown by the military on June 4. Walz visited China that same year, relocating to Foshan in southern Guangdong province to teach English for a year.
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Furthermore, Walz married his wife Gwen on June 4, 1994, marking the fifth anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, a fact that has not gone unnoticed in China.
Social Media Reactions
Discussion of the Tiananmen events is heavily censored in China, but veiled references to Walz’s timing flooded Chinese social media on Wednesday. Users on platforms like Weibo speculated about his reasons for being in China during such a turbulent period.
“He came to China at a time of turmoil, clearly with a special mission,” one user commented, while another suggested, “Is he from the CIA?” A third user remarked, “Look at the year and you can’t help but be skeptical.”
Walz’s Stance on China
Walz, the 60-year-old governor of Minnesota and former schoolteacher, has a history of visiting China, having travelled there dozens of times for sightseeing and cultural exchanges with student groups. Despite his extensive experience, Walz has been cautious about claiming expertise on China, acknowledging its complexity in a 2016 interview with Agri-Pulse.
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While Walz has praised the Chinese people and their culture, he has not shied away from criticising the government.
In 1990, he expressed hope that China could achieve great success with “proper leadership.” He has also shown support for controversial figures, such as meeting the Dalai Lama in 2016, which Beijing strongly opposes.
China’s Official Response
China’s foreign ministry declined to comment on Harris’s choice of Walz as a running mate, labelling the election an internal US matter. However, a statement expressed hope for continued cooperation between the US and China.
Future Implications
Chinese social media users have speculated about Walz’s potential influence on US-China relations if Harris wins the presidency.
According to AFP, one user noted, “If Harris is elected president, Vice President Walz will have a definite influence on her China policy.” Another user, reflecting on Walz’s 2016 comments about US-China cooperation, remarked, “2016 was a previous era. Don’t negligently assign a persona to your opponent.”
As the US election approaches, the background of Harris’ running mate continues to stir debate and speculation about the future of US-China relations.
