In Tim Walz, Chinese social media users see hope

But experts say his inclusion on the Harris ticket may not have much of an impact on China policy.
By Sun Cheng for RFA Mandarin
2024.08.13
In Tim Walz, Chinese social media users see hope
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz delivers his third State of the State address, March 28, 2021, from his old classroom at Mankato West High School in Mankato, Minn. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP)

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for November’s presidential election has elicited an exuberant response in an unlikely place: Chinese social media.

Amid hopes of warmer ties with Washington, the news has attracted millions of views on the Sina Weibo platform, with the phrase “Harris' VP pick once taught in China” trending on the service on Friday and search statistics revealing an overwhelmingly positive reaction.

Walz, who taught in China in 1989 and later became a critic of its government, has extensive ties to China, and organized an annual summer school trip to the country as a teacher in the 1990s.

But while social media comments tended to approve of his view that China's 1.4 billion people are hampered by the authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party, political analysts said Walz's selection didn’t necessarily mean Democrats would soften their view of China.

According to a query submitted by RFA Mandarin to the Weibo Intelligent Search service on the day his selection was announced last week, 62% of Weibo posts about the news showed positive attitudes to Walz, while only 4% showed negative emotions like anger or fear.

‘Clear-headed about China’

Overall, Weibo users expressed their hope that if the Democratic Party’s ticket wins in three months’ time, Walz’s influence as vice president could augur warmer U.S.-China ties, even if the Minnesota governor has a long history of outspoken criticism of Beijing.

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US Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz greet supporters as they arrive to a campaign rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Aug. 7, 2024. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP)

“Perhaps a moderate liberal and progressive tone is appropriate for governing the U.S. right now,” a user with the name Old_Comrade commented on an article from Caixin about Walz on Monday.

Another Weibo user, sunvssun, applauded Walz's comments to a local newspaper in Nebraska in 1990 that the Chinese people are “such kind, generous, capable people” and that his decision to teach in China for a year was “one of the best things I have ever done.”

“If they had the proper leadership, there are no limits on what they could accomplish,” Walz told the Scottsbluff Sun-Herald at the time.

“Actually foreigners are quite clear-headed about China!” the user wrote.

Another user, Season5, said Walz appeared to be a “friendly and rational person” and that they looked forward to seeing him show off “his abilities in future speeches and debates.” Equality3000 said Walz came across as a “kind, pragmatic and humorous old man.”

Others spoke approvingly of Walz’s humble origins and remarked on his rise to the national stage through the democratic process.

“Finally, a normal person,” said Dream_sky_blue_earth_green. 

God_given_power added: “Any leader who emerges victorious under the microscope of hundreds of millions of citizens is ultimately better than one who inherits their position from an elite family.”

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A plaque showing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sits in Mankato West High School's Hall of Fame Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Mankato, Minn. (Nicole Neri/AP)

There was even praise on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“A foreigner came to China from afar, without any selfish motive, and took the cause of the liberation of the Chinese people as his own,” wrote a user named cYMgdrYmZbqg0Z1. “This is the spirit of internationalism ... and a person who will benefit the people.”

Reality bites

Yet despite the hope expressed by Chinese social media users that a Walz vice presidency could turn things around for U.S.-China ties, experts have queried Walz’s desire to change things up.

Ye Yaoyuan, professor of international studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, said it was unlikely that Walz’s inclusion on the ticket would lead Democrats to change their stance on China.

“Right now, it's pretty clear that both the Democrats and the Republicans view China as a competitor,” Ye said.

Others noted that Walz, if elected vice president, would in any case have to defer on China policy to Harris, who has so far been in lockstep with U.S. President Joe Biden’s hawkish approach to China.

Tom Kuster, a Democratic candidate for Minnesota’s state House, told CNN that Walz appeared to tread carefully on China as Minnesota’s governor, but would be in a different position in the White House.

“Minnesota is an agricultural state and the trading market with our farmers who grow soybeans and corn and other crops is very important,” Kuster said, predicting continuity in the White House and in the U.S. Congress if Harris wins the presidency in November.

“Governor Walz is a Democrat as well, and he is also going to be the vice presidential candidate under Kamala Harris, who is part of the Biden administration,” he said. “I think I would be surprised if there were a big change in U.S. China policy because of him.”

Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Alex Willemyns.

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