Kamala Harris’ vetting team asked Tim Walz if he was a ‘China agent’ in 2024 VP search

WASHINGTON, DC: During the 2024 vice presidential vetting process, former Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign team reportedly asked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz if he had ever been an “agent of China,” according to CNN, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The line of questioning stemmed from Walz’s extensive travel and work in China before entering higher political office. Harris’ team was reportedly assessing potential foreign ties that could become political issues during the campaign. Sources say the same approach had previously led Harris’ team to ask Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro about his connections to Israel.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz’s frequent China trips raise questions

Walz’s ties to China are long-standing. He first visited the country in 1989, shortly after the Tiananmen Square protests. He later spent his honeymoon there in 1994 and co-founded a student exchange business that took young Americans to China. By 2016, Walz said he had traveled to China dozens of times, though by 2024 his team estimated about 15 trips.

“He’s been such a fan of China that it became hard to keep track of how many times he visited,” one source told CNN.

Despite his close personal and professional connections, Walz maintained a critical stance on human rights issues in China. While serving in the US House of Representatives, he was a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which monitored human rights conditions and policies in the country.

VP vetting process scrutinizes candidates’ foreign connections

High-profile vetting for vice presidential candidates typically involves a comprehensive review of travel, business, and personal connections abroad. Campaign teams use this information to anticipate questions from opponents, the press, and the public. In Walz’s case, the Harris team’s questions were part of a broader effort to examine potential vulnerabilities stemming from his decades-long involvement with China.

Walz ultimately accepted the VP nomination and ran alongside Harris in the 2024 election. While his China trips raised eyebrows during vetting, his campaign highlighted his experience engaging with global issues, balancing personal experience abroad with US policy priorities. 

Tim Walz’s personal and professional background in China

Walz had connections to China long before entering politics. According to the Independent, in 1989 he taught English and American history in Foshan, Guangdong province. He returned multiple times over the years, both for work and travel, including spending his honeymoon there with his wife.

Even with these personal and professional ties, Walz did not shy away from criticizing the Chinese government on human rights issues. While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, he was a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which monitored human rights conditions in the country.

Walz told The Star Herald in 1990 that his stay in China was “one of the best things” he had ever done. “If they had the proper leadership, there are no limits on what they could accomplish,” he said of the Chinese people.

Vetting for high-profile positions such as vice president typically involved extensive review of a candidate’s background to anticipate potential controversies and prepare responses to opponents or media scrutiny.