Metro East Sun

Madison County Chair Ray Wesley expressed concerns about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's connections with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). "Tim Walz’s ties with the Chinese Communist Party raise serious concerns about his 'comfort with a regime that undermines democratic values and human rights,'" Wesley said to Metro East Sun on October 1.

"Tim Walz's affiliations with the CCP are troubling, raising serious concerns about his willingness to overlook China's authoritarianism," said Wesley, Chairman. "His connections with pro-CCP groups show he is dangerously close to a regime known for human rights violations. Regular trips to China and the selection of pro-CCP individuals suggest an unsettling comfort with a government that opposes American ideals. Voters who value democratic principles should take this as a serious warning."

According to The Hill, House Oversight Chair James Comer has subpoenaed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for information regarding Walz, who is the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Comer cited whistleblower claims indicating concern among Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel about Walz’s ties to China, particularly focusing on a Microsoft Teams chat used by DHS employees. Walz taught in China in 1989 and has frequently visited since then. The subpoena requests communication and intelligence reports related to Walz from 2023 onwards, with a deadline set for October 7.

The House Oversight Committee explained its rationale for investigating Walz. In 1993, he organized a student trip to China funded by the Chinese government. He later founded "Educational Travel Adventures, Inc.," which arranged annual student trips to China until it dissolved shortly after he took office in 2007. During his tenure in Congress, Walz was a fellow at Macau Polytechnic University, known for its pro-China stance. He also spoke alongside a leader of an organization that the U.S. State Department later revealed as influencing state and local leaders for China's agenda.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reported that in 2020, Walz appointed Chang Wang, an attorney linked to a pro-CCP political faction, to the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans. Wang currently serves as interim chair and advises the state on Asian-American affairs. However, Wang has been associated with the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD), a Chinese political party loyal to the CCP and operating within the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body.