A Dangerous Misjudgment: Tim Walz Names China as the World’s ‘Moral Authority’

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s recent comments suggesting that China might be the voice of “moral authority” to negotiate peace between Israel and Iran are not just naïve, they are deeply troubling and reveal a dangerous misjudgment of reality. According to the Washington Free Beacon, the former vice presidential candidate “bemoaned that the United States is ‘not seen as a neutral actor’ in the Middle East and thus questioned which ‘voice in the world’ could negotiate a truce between Israel and Iran. Moments later, he answered his own question: ‘It might be the Chinese.’”

At a time when the world is grappling with the fallout from Iranian aggression and Israel’s defensive actions, Walz’s willingness to elevate a regime notorious for human rights abuses to the status of global peacemaker is a stunning abdication of moral clarity.

Walz’s admiration for China is not new. As far back as the 1990s, he praised the Chinese Communist system to his students, describing it as a place “where everyone shares,” glossing over the brutal realities of life under authoritarian rule. He lauded the equality of incomes and state-provided housing and food—ignoring the lack of basic freedoms, the suppression of dissent, and the horrors of events like the Tiananmen Square massacre.

His fascination with Communist China has been well-documented, with Walz himself boasting about his experiences and the gifts he received from the regime during his visits. Even during his 2024 vice-presidential campaign, Walz’s connections to China were a focal point, with whistleblowers warning that he was a target for Chinese influence operations.

For Walz to claim that China could serve as a “neutral actor” or possess “moral authority” in Middle East peace negotiations is especially egregious given Beijing’s abysmal human rights record. The Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing repression of Uyghur Muslims, its crackdown on Hong Kong democracy activists, and its aggressive posture toward Taiwan are well-documented by international watchdogs and the U.S. government. To elevate such a regime as a model for global leadership is not only factually indefensible, it is morally depraved.

Walz’s rhetoric plays directly into the hands of America’s adversaries. U.S. intelligence has repeatedly warned that China, in coordination with Russia and Iran, seeks to undermine American influence and sow discord in the West. By undermining the United States’ role as a global leader and suggesting that an authoritarian regime could better mediate international disputes, Walz is inadvertently amplifying the propaganda of those who wish to see America weakened on the world stage.

Tim Walz’s statements are not just misguided—they are reckless. At a time when the world needs strong, principled leadership, his willingness to praise and legitimize the Chinese Communist Party is a disservice to American values and global stability. The idea that China, with its record of repression and aggression, could serve as a beacon of “moral authority” should be roundly rejected by anyone who values freedom and human rights.