Tim Walz in China

How do the candidate's past travels reflect his views today?

My colleague John Ruwitch had a story on NPR today that answered a question that I had on my mind: what is Tim Walz’ history with China? He lived there briefly and traveled there about 30 times.

Before today, I’d only heard little bits about this side of Walz, including from Republicans on social media who cast it as suspicious. They also produced old video in which Walz said the United States could cooperate with China on some issues even while opposing it on others.

But exposure to another country can be a strength. And regardless, the U.S. relationship with China surely ranks as the most important, and fraught, bilateral relationship in the world. It matters how the next administration approaches it. So I was glad to come into work this morning and discover a story that evenhandedly laid out some of what Walz has done and said.

John Ruwitch noted that Walz moved to China in 1989, “fresh out of college,” when he spent a year as an English teacher in the southern city of Foshan. Ruwitch found one of his former students:

He was one of the first opportunities for us to have a close encounter with people from the West.