Governor Walz Under Fire for Controversial Lecture in China

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is under fire for his lecture at a Chinese state-run institution, prompting a call for a Pentagon investigation.

At a Glance

Tim Walz lectured on international relations at a state-run university in China and made numerous trips to the country.
US Congressman Jim Banks is demanding the Pentagon investigate whether Walz complied with foreign travel reporting requirements for his security clearance.
His first trip involved teaching under World Teach, a nonprofit partnered with a company affiliated with China’s Ministry of Public Security.
Banks called the situation “an obvious security risk” in a letter to the Pentagon.

Governor Tim Walz’s Engagement with China

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz faced heavy scrutiny following a New York Post report that highlighted his recurrent engagements with Chinese state-run institutions. Walz delivered a lecture on international relations at a state-run university and has taken over 30 trips to China since 1989, including teaching assignments under the World Teach program. His first trip coincided with the Tiananmen Square massacre, partnering with organizations affiliated with China’s Ministry of Public Security.

During these trips, Walz taught American culture and English to students and received numerous gifts from his hosts. He even registered a for-profit company in 1995 to organize student trips to China. This extensive involvement has raised alarms about potential national security risks, given China’s ongoing strategic challenges to U.S. interests.

GOP Calls for Pentagon Probe

US Congressman Jim Banks has demanded the Pentagon investigate Governor Walz’s compliance with foreign travel reporting provisions for his past security clearance. Banks, in his letter to the Pentagon, called Walz’s frequent travels to China “an obvious security risk.” Walz, a senior enlisted member of the Army National Guard, left the service in 2005. Banks asserts that at least a dozen of Walz’s trips occurred during his tenure in the National Guard.

“It strains credulity that Walz’s National Guard superiors would not have had some concerns about his pattern of behaviour,” said Banks. A Pentagon spokesperson stated that Secretary Lloyd Austin would respond to the letter “in due course.”

Tim Walz taught at China’s state-run Macau Polytechnic University until at least 2007 https://t.co/wRskCkHLp5 pic.twitter.com/icf9Jg2hot

— New York Post (@nypost) August 14, 2024

Security Clearance and Reporting Requirements

Banks’s concerns revolve around whether Walz adhered to the mandatory reporting requirements for foreign travel often associated with maintaining a “secret-level” security clearance. Inconsistent reporting could be viewed as negligence or, worse, compromise. According to Banks, the American public deserves full transparency regarding Walz’s actions and any potential implications they may have posed to U.S. national security.

Reactions and Implications

While GOP representatives and some national security officials express grave concerns, notable figures like pro-democracy activist Jeffrey Ngo have praised Walz’s dedication to human rights in China. Walz has been vocal against Chinese human rights abuses and co-sponsored the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2017. He has also criticized China’s policies in the South China Sea and emphasized the importance of human rights and environmental rules for a cooperative U.S.-China relationship.

“I don’t fall into the category that China necessarily needs to be an adversarial relationship. … We need to stand firm on what they’re doing in the South China Sea, but there are many areas of cooperation we can work on,” Walz said in a 2016 interview.

Amid these controversies, GOP figures like Senator Tom Cotton demand Walz offer a comprehensive explanation about his long-term relationship with China. This controversy arrives at a critical time when U.S. relations with China are tense, and national security concerns are at the forefront of public discourse.