Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the recently announced running mate for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, has a long history of supporting a medical research institute with connections to a Chinese firm labeled as a "Chinese military company" by the Pentagon.
Fox News reports that Walz has been a vocal advocate for the Hormel Institute, a biomedical research center in Austin, Minnesota, which has collaborated extensively with the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI).
The Hormel Institute, part of the University of Minnesota's Research and Innovation Office, has conducted research using BGI machines and collaborated with BGI laboratories in Shenzhen, China. This association has raised concerns, as BGI was designated a "Chinese military company" by the Pentagon, with fears that it may be serving as a collection mechanism for Chinese government gene databases.
Governor Walz has been a strong supporter of the Hormel Institute for many years. As recently as April 2024, he visited the institute to meet with local leaders and learn about its progress in biomedical and agricultural research. Walz has praised the institute's work, stating that it aligns with Minnesota's vision for the future in areas such as green energy, sustainable agriculture, and biotechnology.
During his time as a congressman representing Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, Walz backed the institute's expansion efforts and helped secure over $2 million in federal funding for technology acquisitions. He also pushed for additional federal earmarks to support the institute's growth and research capabilities.
Walz's support for the Hormel Institute has extended beyond securing funding. He has been present at key announcements, including the establishment of the China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, a multimillion-dollar international partnership with a research facility in China.
The Hormel Institute's collaboration with BGI has drawn scrutiny due to the latter's designation as a "Chinese military company" by the Pentagon. The National Security Commission on AI warned in 2022 that BGI may be serving as a global collection mechanism for Chinese government gene databases, potentially providing China with access to sensitive personal information about key individuals worldwide.
These concerns have led to Congressional consideration of legislation to ban government contracts with BGI, a Chinese military subsidiary. The institute's ties to BGI and other Chinese entities have raised questions about potential national security risks and the transfer of sensitive research.
Dr. Zigang Dong, the former executive director of the Hormel Institute, resigned abruptly in 2019 amid an FBI probe into his possible failure to report foreign backing when applying for grants. Dong had established the China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute and maintained ties with the Chinese research facility even after stepping down from his position at the Hormel Institute.
Governor Walz's association with the Hormel Institute exists against a backdrop of his own connections to China. He worked briefly as a teacher in Guangdong in 1989 and has made numerous trips to China over the years. Local media reports suggest that one of his trips to China doubled as his honeymoon in 1994, and he reportedly planned his wedding date to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Walz has expressed views on China that differ from those who see the country as an adversary. In an interview with Agri-Pulse Communications, he stated:
I don't fall into the category that China necessarily needs to be an adversarial relationship. I totally disagree, and I think we need to stand firm on what they're doing in the South China Sea, but there's many areas of cooperation we can work on.
These connections and statements have drawn criticism from some quarters, including Senator Tom Cotton, who called for Walz to explain his "unusual, 35-year relationship with Communist China."
The controversy surrounding Walz's ties to China and the Hormel Institute's collaborations with Chinese entities has led to increased scrutiny. The House Oversight Committee is reportedly investigating Walz's connections to China and CCP-linked entities. As Walz steps into the national spotlight as Harris's running mate, these issues are likely to receive further attention and scrutiny in the coming months.
