Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who served as Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 running mate, stated Friday that China could be viewed as a “neutral actor” and hold the “moral authority” to lead negotiations in the Middle East following Israel’s military strikes on Iran, as reported [1] by Fox News.
Walz made the comments during a policy discussion hosted by the Center for American Progress (CAP), a left-leaning think tank based in Washington, D.C. The event, titled “What’s Next: Conversations on the Path Forward,” was moderated by CAP President and CEO Neera Tanden.
Addressing the recent escalation between Israel and Iran, Walz remarked, “Iran has to retaliate, in their mind,” adding that the “Middle East is back on fire in a way that has now expanded.”
He posed a question to the audience: “Now, who is the voice in the world that can negotiate some type of agreement in this? Who holds the moral authority? Who holds the ability to do that?”
Walz then suggested that the United States is no longer seen as a neutral party in such negotiations. “Because we are not seen as a neutral actor, and we maybe never were,” he said.
He added that while the U.S. once “tried to be somewhat of the arbitrator” during the Iran nuclear deal negotiations, the reality now is that “the neutral actor” with the potential to lead such talks “might be the Chinese.”
Walz did not offer further explanation on why he believes China could be a legitimate peace broker or how it has earned “moral authority” in the region.
BREAKING NEWS:
Tim Walz on Israel striking Iran: “Who is the voice in the world that can negotiate some type of agreement and hold the moral authority? It might be the Chinese.”
Walz is China First.
We dodged a bullet!pic.twitter.com/VG9sYzOw2j [2]
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) June 13, 2025 [3]
His comments drew attention in part because of past scrutiny over his connections to Chinese-linked institutions.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Fox News Digital reported that Walz had supported a Minnesota-based medical research institute that had worked extensively with a firm designated by the U.S. Department of Defense as a “Chinese military company.”
He also praised the Minnesota International Chinese School in a 2021 letter published on the school’s YouTube channel, where he highlighted the state’s relationship with high-ranking Chinese officials.
Walz also stirred controversy by comparing Washington, D.C., to “Pyongyang” and suggesting he hoped the military would face bad weather during President Trump’s parade, admitting, “This may get me in trouble or whatever.”
Tim Walz compares DC on Saturday to “Pyong-yong” and hopes the military runs into bad weather at the parade.
“This may get me in trouble or whatever.” pic.twitter.com/8WQGhLCArG [4]
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) June 13, 2025 [5]
The organization hosting the discussion, CAP, also faced questions over its ties to China.
In 2024, Fox News Digital reported that CAP founder John Podesta, a former senior official under Presidents Obama and Clinton and an advisor in the Biden administration, had longstanding connections with Tung Chee-hwa, a high-level official within the Chinese Communist Party.
Tanden did not press Walz further on his remarks about China’s potential role in Middle East peace efforts. Instead, she concluded the segment with a sarcastic comment: “Well, I definitely rest easy knowing Pete Hegseth is the secretary of defense.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) on Iran and Israel: “Now who is the voice in the world that can negotiate some type of agreement on this? Who holds the moral authority? Who holds the ability to do that? Because we are not seen as a neutral actor… It might be the Chinese.” pic.twitter.com/jubehr76Oh [6]
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) June 13, 2025 [7]
The suggestion that the Chinese government could serve as a global moral compass comes amid increasing bipartisan concern in the United States over Beijing’s global ambitions, human rights record, and aggressive military posture in the Indo-Pacific.