Newsom strengthens Chinese relations as scrutiny grows over Walz’ China ties

(The Center Square) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared "California Panda Day" to highlight Sino-Californian cooperation as scrutiny grows over Minnesota governor and now Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz's close relationship with China.

“Building on our strong foundation of partnership and deep cultural and economic ties, I traveled to China last year to advance priority issues including climate action and economic development,” said Newsom in his proclamation making August 8 “California Panda Day.” “We hope that the newly arrived panda ‘envoys of friendship’ will lead to further exchanges and cooperation between California and China.”

According to the California Chamber of Commerce , California exports to China were $18.15 billion in 2022, with Chinese imports to California reaching $147.6 billion that year.

While visiting China in 2023, Newsom signed a declaration and five memorandums of understanding with China on climate change.

“Specifically, our partnership and work together will accelerate the clean energy transition, including offshore wind, advanced energy storage technologies, and zero-emission vehicles; mitigate carbon emissions and sustain economic growth, including the role of carbon markets and climate finance; advance action that reduces non-CO2 emissions, including methane; and build resilience to our changing climate while protecting biodiversity,” wrote Newsom in his declaration.

China produces 80% of the world’s solar panels, 80% of the world’s batteries, 60% of the world’s windmills, and more than half of the world’s electric vehicles, including 80% of the world’s zero-emission heavy-duty trucks, and the largest share of the world’s electric busses; in 2018 , 421,000 out of the world’s 425,000 electric buses were in China.

The governor’s declaration also noted that China is expanding its carbon market, suggesting that most aspects of California’s green energy revolution — from the state’s $53 billion climate package to carbon credit mandates and even more local governments’ EV bus and solar panel operations — could drive American taxpayer and business funds to China.

Newsom’s announcement comes over increasing security regarding Walz, who is from a small Nebraska town, and his ties with China. Walz speaks Mandarin and says he has both lived in the country and visited 30 times. Walz first visited China at the time of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, telling Congress later — according to NBC — that “It was my belief at that time that the diplomacy was going to happen on many levels, certainly people to people, and the opportunity to be in a Chinese high school at that critical time seemed to me to be really important.”

As a teacher, Walz told the Nebraska Star-Herald he secured funding from the Chinese government to bring American students to China. He also told the Star-Herald that “If [the Chinese] had the proper leadership, there are no limits on what they could accomplish.”

Walz and his wife founded a company to take American high school students to China, and were married on the five-year anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, a decision his wife says was intentional, and honeymooned in China while bringing American students on a tour.

As a member of Congress, Walz traveled to Tibet and met with the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet exiled by China, and served on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which focused on Chinese human rights abuses, suggesting Walz’ public and close appreciation for China and its people may not extend to its government.

However, as governor of Minnesota, Walz is celebrated by Democrats for his emphasis on green energy, which in the current market means buying equipment from China — a point Republicans were quick to attack.

“Tim Walz is a guy who wants to shift more and more American manufacturing jobs to China,” retorted Ohio Senator and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance. “If you care about the environment, and I certainly do, why are you going to ship American manufacturing jobs to the dirtiest economy in the world? Why wouldn't you keep them right here?”