Will Walz’s China connection be a plus?

Meanwhile

Will Walz’s China connection be a plus?

Published: 26 Aug. 2024, 19:53

YOU SANG-CHUL
The author is the head of the China Institute of the JoongAng Ilbo and CEO of China Lab.

There is a saying that goes, “Experience is the best teacher.” It makes sense when you see Tim Walz, who was nominated as Democratic vice-presidential candidate last week. His motivation to enter politics is a prime example. While teaching at a high school in Minnesota in August 2004, Walz visited a rally for President George W. Bush as he ran for re-election. Some students secretly appeared in shirts supporting Democratic candidate John Kelly.

The students were kicked out of the rally, which infuriated Walz. He visited the Democratic Party office in Minnesota the next day and registered himself as a supporter for Kelly, which became the start of his political path. He is passionate about medical reform because of his personal experience. His father was a Korean War veteran, and when he died of lung cancer when Walz was 19, his medical expenses left considerable debt to his family.

Walz said that his mother had to work hard for ten years to pay off the medical bills during the last week of his father’s life. What is most notable in Walz’s experiences is his time in China. Upon graduating from college, he spent a year in Guangdong Province teaching American history, culture and English to high school students. He taught 65 Chinese students. In 1994, Walz and his wife launched an educational travel agency and sent American students to China every summer for 10 years.

Walz visited China more than 30 times in the past. The Republican Party attacks him for his connection to China. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives kicked off an investigation into Walz and China. It requested intelligence from the FBI. The purpose of the probe seems to be whether Walz has “crossed the line.” Upon returning from China in 1990, Walz was positive about China and said there would not be a limit to what China could achieve if the country had proper leadership.

But in recent years, Walz was more at odds with China, proposing the Hong Kong Human Rights Act in 2017 and meeting with Dalai Lama in 2018. This is in line with the general sentiments of many Americans, who had hopes for China at first but later were disappointed. Walz said that there is no need to be hostile with China all the time and there are many areas for cooperation. The United States and China may compete over the military and economy but can cooperate for climate and drug issues, he thinks.

What will be the choice of American voters? Walz is a vice-presidential candidate, but I can’t help but wonder how his ties with China will affect the presidential election in November.