Democratic vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, has a longstanding history of attending events hosted by members of nonprofit organizations with ties to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) influence and intelligence agencies, according to an investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

According to the DCNF's investigation of dozens of Chinese government officials, Walz has attended multiple events hosted by the Chinese American Association of Minnesota (CAAM) and related organizations since 2018, including fundraisers for his 2022 gubernatorial campaign. noticeChinese News Reports Social Media Posts.

Other media outlets have criticized Waltz, who calls himself a progressive. Long-standing The same goes for ties to groups linked to Islamic extremism.

Since 2016, CAAM and another local nonprofit have hosted the St. Paul chapter of the Overseas Chinese Service Centers program, a global network of agencies overseen by the Chinese government's United Front Work Department, DCNF has previously reported.

Among other things, the United Front “collects intelligence, controls Chinese-language media overseas, influences Chinese immigrant groups, facilitates illegal technology transfer, and interferes in other countries' politics.” According to Presented to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

DCNF's investigation found that on at least one occasion, members of the OCSC in St. Paul, Minnesota, attended conferences and training hosted by China's national police authorities. DCNF has also reported on other activity linked to the Chinese government, including a June 2024 investigation detailing an online network run by a self-described Chinese “cyber police” providing resources to illegal Chinese immigrants to enter the United States and evade border authorities.

CAAM did not respond to multiple requests for comment. (Related: Exclusive: Online network run by Chinese 'cyber police' agents facilitates prostitution and sex trafficking in the US)

The Democratic vice presidential nominee's dozens of visits to China as an educator have come under heavy criticism. Scrutiny From China hawks and Republicans like Rep. James Comer of Kentucky Sent In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, they requested information about “any Chinese entities or individuals with which Mr. Waltz may have been involved or affiliated.”

“Tim Walz is exactly the kind of unscrupulous, pro-China politician that UFWD targets,” Rep. Jim Banks, R-Indiana, told DCNF.

“He made several trips to China, likely while holding a valid security clearance, and House Republicans should cooperate with the investigation into whether he violated international travel disclosure requirements,” said Banks, a member of the House Select Committee on China.

Neither Walz's office nor the Harris-Walz campaign responded to multiple requests for comment.

“All states affected”

The Minnesota OCSC chapter is one of approximately 60 that the Chinese government's Overseas Chinese Affairs Office established around the world between 2014 and 2017. The DCNF had previously identified six other OCSC chapters in California, Texas, Utah, North Carolina, Nebraska and Missouri.

Chinese Government Documents reveal In 2018, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office was reorganized under the UFWD, which the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission called China's “Intelligence agencies” Influence operations.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey recently served a subpoena on the St. Louis OCSC in light of its ties to the Chinese government, informing the DCNF that he believes “it is time for federal law enforcement, and in particular the FBI, to take this threat seriously.”

“We have reason to believe that the Chinese Communist government is attempting to establish a network of influence operations and target individuals formerly residing in China,” Bailey said. “Published reports indicate that the Chinese Communist Party's influence threats affect every state.”

“Minnesota Chinese American Association”

In June 2022, individuals affiliated with the St. Paul OCSC participated in a fundraiser for Governor Walz's reelection. According to Minnesota Chinese World is a Chinese-language media outlet that posts articles directly to the Chinese social media app WeChat. Monitoring and Control By the Chinese Communist Party.

China's state media Identified Minnesota Chinese World:Cooperated“and Above Learning how to “tell China's story well” – this particular expression is Chinese Communist Party jargon that often refers to “foreign propaganda.” According to To the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Identified A 2017 press release stated that the editor-in-chief of Minnesota Chinese World had been appointed “public relations director” for the St. Paul OCSC.

The Waltz fundraiser in June 2022 was hosted by a past CAAM president, Minnesota Chinese World reported. Remaining According to nonprofit records, he is active with the group. Photos from the event show According to the DCNF investigation, Waltz was sitting on the grass with a group of about 50 people around him, many of whom were members of CAAM and the St. Paul OCSC.

Among those pictured are several people, including the publicity director of St. Paul OCSC, the current chairman of CAAM, and a former chairman who is supported by the Chinese government. Identified As the “person in charge” of St. Paul OCSC.

CAAM was founded in 1951. invoice The association calls itself “Minnesota's oldest and largest Chinese American community organization” and defines its mission as promoting Chinese culture and improving the quality of life for Chinese Minnesotans.

The Minnesota State Arts Commission has awarded taxpayer grants to CAAM's dance troupe almost every year since 2005, according to government records. showAccording to the State Arts Commission, the nonprofit received $15,000 when Walz was elected governor in 2018, increasing to nearly $50,000 in 2025. Members of the commission include: Appointed Enacted by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the State Senate.

Consul General Hong Lei of the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago appointed CAAM and related nonprofit organizations to host OCSC in St. Paul in 2016. According to According to state media reports.

Additionally, DCNF's analysis found that prominent members of the St. Paul OCSC were part of an OCSC delegation that met with Ministry of Public Security officials during a visit to China in 2018. DCNF found that CAAM's website profile photo and photograph From the 2018 conference Published By Chinese Government and State Media.

At the meeting, Ministry of Public Security officials demonstrated how the OCSC is facilitating so-called “cross-border remote justice services,” DCNF previously reported.

In 2023, the FBI arrested the head of the American Changle Association, a Manhattan Chinese nonprofit group that allegedly ran an “overseas police station” for the Ministry of Public Security in New York City. According to To the Department of Justice.

While there is no evidence that the U.S. OCSC runs police stations on behalf of the Ministry of Public Security, the DCNF has previously reported that some OCSC branches in other countries have set up “overseas Chinese police liaison offices.”

Gordon Chang, a China expert and author, described China's influence and intelligence operations as “incredibly comprehensive.”

“The Chinese Communist Party is using every connection to subvert the United States. Almost no American organization, no matter how small, is impenetrable. If there is no organization to take over, the Chinese Communist Party will create one,” Zhang told DCNF.

“Unbreakable Bonds”

The article, from the August 2024 issue of Minnesota Chinese World, appears to have been removed after the DCNF reached out for comment. detail Waltz attended several other events hosted by CAAM and members of the St. Paul OCSC.

“Waltz has strong ties to the Chinese community in Minnesota's Twin Cities and frequently attends community charity events as a special guest,” the Minnesota Chinese World wrote.

In addition to the 2022 fundraiser, Waltz sent a video greeting to an event hosted by St. Paul OCSC’s publicity director. 2022, 2023and 2024“The Minnesota Chinese World did not respond to DCNF's request for comment.

In addition, CAAM records reveal The center's former president also organized a fundraiser in June 2018 for another local nonprofit called Global Minnesota, and a photo analysis of the event showed that Waltz, leaders of the St. Paul OCSC and the center's public relations director were also in attendance.

Social media post by the Chinese Consulate General of Chicago show Another photo of Consul General Hung Lei speaking at a fundraising event in June 2018 photograph Here he is having a one-on-one conversation with Walz, who was then a Minnesota congressman.

The Chinese consulate did not respond to DCNF's request for comment.

“All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese”

Three months after the Global Minnesota fundraiser, Waltz, leaders of the St. Paul OCSC, and officials from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago reunited at a Chinese ballet performance at the University of Minnesota in September 2018. Article from Minnesota China World Reports.

The article claims that the St. Paul OCSC's publicity director organized the event, but the performance was organized by the All-China Federation of Civil Rights (ACFROC), with no further details. Reported By Seamus Bruner of the Government Accountability Institute.

U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Characterize ACFROC is a “united front” organization that serves as a “liaison and coordination channel” between overseas Chinese and the Chinese Communist Party.

Photos from the ballet performance in September 2018 show Walz took the stage with two St. Paul OCSC officials, China's deputy consul general and a former Minnesota Republican. Congressman Eric Paulsen and Secretary General of the ACFROC branch in Sichuan Province.

“U.S. Congressman Walz said he first celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival 30 years ago in Foshan, Guangdong Province.” read Reporting on the event from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago: “The Mid-Autumn Festival stands out in Chinese culture as a special day for family reunion, so he was happy to be able to join everyone in enjoying the performance.”

Waltz's speech reportedly received “warm applause” from the audience. According to Minnesota Chinese World.

Chinese-language news outlet Guancha later said: Characteristic The article called Waltz's speech a “textbook example of ethnic lobbying in American politics” and argued that it contributed greatly to his popularity among the Chinese community, and that his support in areas with large Chinese populations helped him win the 2018 election.

Natalie Winters recently Found The document, which listed Waltz as a speaker alongside United Front-affiliated groups at the 2019 event, told the DCNF that the United Front is “the tip of the spear in the Chinese Communist Party's robust foreign influence network.”

“Through threats, lucrative business deals and free trips to China, this effort is an attempt to pressure American leaders to advocate for policies supported by the Chinese Communist Party in order to weaponize them against their own people,” said Winters, co-host of Steve Bannon's War Room podcast.

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