The claims made by Tim Walz, Minnesota’s Governor and a Democratic vice presidential candidate, about being in China during the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989 are now facing skepticism. Newly discovered Nebraska newspaper articles suggest he was actually in the U.S. at that time.
Walz will be debating Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, on CBS News this Tuesday. The presidential race remains tight, with just a narrow margin separating Harris and Trump in critical battleground states as Election Day nears.
Recent reports have questioned Walz’s assertions regarding his presence in China during the violent crackdown on student protesters in Beijing on June 4, 1989, where thousands of civilians are estimated to have lost their lives.
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The Claim
Walz has stated repeatedly that he was in Asia during the protests, including a 2014 reflection for the event’s 25th anniversary while he was serving in Congress. He noted, “Living in Asia at the time, I was profoundly affected by these events and the Chinese people’s struggle for reform.”
He also claimed to have been in Hong Kong during congressional hearings that same year.
Walz previously recounted that he was in Hong Kong before the protests, stating, “As a young man, I was just going to teach high school in Foshan in Guangdong, and was in Hong Kong in May of ’89.”
He reiterated similar sentiments in 2009 and again in a 2019 interview, claiming he was “in Hong Kong on June 4, 1989.”
The Facts
Walz indeed participated in teaching in China through Harvard’s WorldTeach program after graduating from Chadron State College in 1989. However, according to Minnesota Public Radio, he did not depart for Asia until August 1989, well after the upheaval.
A photograph from May 1989 depicts Walz working at the National Guard Armory in Alliance, Nebraska. Articles from local papers also confirmed he was set to leave for China in early August, once the student protests had subsided.
CNN reported that Walz’s campaign could not provide evidence to back up his claim regarding his whereabouts on June 4. As of now, there is no concrete information from the campaign detailing his presence in China during that pivotal moment.
The Ruling
False.
1989 reports indicate Walz remained in Nebraska until August 1989. While it’s possible he could have left earlier than planned, no proof has surfaced to confirm he was in China during the events of June 4.