China's scrutiny of Walz's honeymoon intensifies as Harris camp attacks 'dishonest' critics.

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota is facing criticism from Republicans over his pro-China remarks, including an interview where he stated that he does not believe there should be a hostile relationship with the communist government.

In 1989, Walz traveled to Guangdong, China to teach English and American history as part of a teach abroad program. He later served as a member of Congress and governor of Minnesota.

In 1994, the Wall Street Journal, citing local media reports, reported that one trip to China doubled as his honeymoon and he planned his wedding date to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

In a 2016 interview, Walz expressed the belief that there was potential for a strong relationship between China and the U.S., but emphasized that China needed to adhere to human rights and environmental standards.

I have resided in China and have visited approximately 30 times, as previously stated. I do not believe that China must have an adversarial relationship, and I strongly disagree with this notion. However, we must maintain our stance on China's actions in the South China Sea. There are numerous areas of cooperation that we can work on, as I mentioned in my interview with Agri-Pulse Communications.

He mentioned in the interview that he served on the bipartisan congressional executive commission on China, which concentrates on human rights.

Walz taught during the same year as the Tiananmen Square crackdown, which was a communist regime's suppression of pro-democracy protesters. He later founded a company to arrange trips to China and, in his remarks, mentioned that he had visited the country numerous times, leading summer education trips to China. The New York Post reported that he stated after his initial trip to China, "No matter how long I live, I will never be treated that well again."

Some on the right have criticized Walz for being too lenient towards the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party.

Richard Grenell, the former acting Director of National Intelligence, stated that "communist China is pleased with Kamala's VP pick, [Walz]."

"No one is more pro-China than Marxist Walz," Grenell said.

James Hutton, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs, stated that Walz views China as not being a problem.

"This man must learn the truth about the brutal nature of the Beijing dictatorship. Although Walz may not see communist tyranny as a negative thing, the rest of the world recognizes it as a dangerous ideology."

Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., stated that Tim Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, must provide an explanation for his 35-year relationship with Communist China and its implications for the American people.

The Harris campaign and some Democrats have pushed back against that criticism.

Gov. Walz has consistently prioritized American jobs and manufacturing, defended human rights and democracy, and opposed the CCP throughout his career. However, Republicans are attempting to divert attention from the Trump-Vance agenda by distorting facts and spreading falsehoods, such as praising dictators and sending American jobs to China, according to spokesperson James Singer in a statement to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"Governor Walz and Vice President Harris will guarantee our victory in the competition with China and will consistently defend our values and interests against China's threats."

In 2009, Walz accused Beijing of cultural genocide in Tibet and Xinjiang, accompanied Pelosi on a trip to Tibet, and met with the Dalai Lama. He has also co-sponsored resolutions on crucial human rights issues.

According to the Post, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., stated that his selection is a sign that a Harris-Walz administration will prioritize human rights in its relationship with China.

On Weibo, opinions were divided on the significance of the Walz pick.

One user stated that he should be the presidential candidate.

In 2014, he stated in an interview with U.S. media that he cares deeply about human rights and democracy in China. He was also a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. However, another person claimed that he has ill intentions.

Planet Chronicle' Eryk Michael Smith contributed to this report.