Tim Walz said he went to China 'dozens' of times, now his campaign says its 'closer to 15'

Vice President Kamala Harris' moving mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, said helium traveled to China overmuch little than helium had initially highlighted successful legislature hearings and media interviews. 

"I person been to China dozens of times," Walz said during a 2016 legislature hearing. "I've been determination astir 30 times," Walz told an agriculture-focused work the aforesaid year.

However, a Harris-Walz run spokesperson precocious acknowledged to Minnesota Public Radio that the fig was "closer to 15 times." 

The revision comes amid increasing scrutiny from GOP critics implicit Walz's imaginable ties to the People's Republic of China and its ruling Communist Party. Earlier this month, House Committee connected Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., sent a letter renewing unit connected the FBI to nutrient documents related to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) entities oregon officials that Walz has purportedly engaged with successful the past.

WALZ APPOINTEE WITH APPARENT CCP TIES COULD EXPOSE POTENTIAL VEEP'S NATIONAL SECURITY WEAKNESS, LAWMAKER SAYS

The Harris-Walz run is mounting the grounds consecutive regarding however galore times Gov. Tim Walz has visited China. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

According to Walz's ain testimony, helium archetypal went to China successful 1989 amid the Tiananmen Square uprising. Walz was portion of the archetypal delegation of American teachers to ever spell to the communist federation during the trip. He was a subordinate successful Harvard's WorldTeach program, which gave Walz the accidental to unrecorded and thatch young students successful China for a year. 

Walz seemingly enjoyed his clip successful China truthful overmuch that aft transitioning his teaching vocation to the U.S., Walz continued to instrumentality yearly trips backmost to China with his students. Walz yet acceptable up a institution with his woman Gwen, called Educational Travel Adventures, Inc., which was dedicated to taking students connected trips to China and different planetary destinations. The 2 adjacent honeymooned successful China connected 1 of their trips successful 1993. Walz's yearly trips with students took spot betwixt 1993 and the aboriginal 2000s, earlier helium began moving for nationalist office.  

FANS BOO TIM WALZ AS HE LEAVES MICHIGAN-MINNESOTA GAME: ‘GET OUT OF HERE’

Walz and his woman dissolved their student-travel institution aft helium won his spot successful Congress successful 2006. However, Walz's China acquisition was a substance of pridefulness for the now-vice statesmanlike campaigner erstwhile helium was trying to articulation Congress. 

Walz's campaign website astatine the time, for instance, highlighted his enactment arsenic a visiting chap astatine Macau Polytechnic University, a assemblage successful China with ties to the CCP. 

"What we request successful education, what we request successful the military, and what we request erstwhile I'm fostering taste exchanges with China, is existent solutions," Walz besides said erstwhile helium debated incumbent GOP Rep. Gil Gutknecht successful 2006, erstwhile again highlighting his enactment successful China.  

However, aft Walz became Harris' moving mate this year, Minnesota Public Radio began trying to verify the "dozens" of trips helium claimed to person gone on. In the end, they could lone verify that astir 12 of them had really occurred. 

FOX NEWS MEDIA WILL PRESENT SPECIAL LIVE PROGRAMMING OF VANCE-WALZ DEBATE

When the quality outlet reached retired to the Harris run for documentation proving the remainder of Walz's trips did so instrumentality place, alternatively of offering specified impervious they acknowledged that Walz had antecedently exaggerated the fig of trips helium took to China, and it was really "closer to 15 times" not "dozens of times."   

The nationalist flags of the United States and China flutter astatine the Fairmont Peace Hotel connected April 25, 2024 successful Shanghai. (Photo by Wang Gang/VCG via Getty Images)

Besides seemingly misrepresenting however galore times helium traveled to China, Walz has besides been accused of misrepresenting his fertile successful the Army National Guard arsenic well.

"I'm a retired bid sergeant major," Walz asserted portion moving for Congress successful 2006. However, portion Walz did service concisely with that rank, he retired excessively aboriginal to support it. Walz's status besides prevented him from deploying to the Middle East, different constituent of disapproval against the vice statesmanlike campaigner who has suggested that helium saw combat. Meanwhile, it has been alleged that Walz and his woman person made mendacious assertions astir their usage of IVF arsenic well.  

A erstwhile nationalist defender seasoned who reportedly served with Walz told speech amusement big Megyn Kelly that they deliberation Walz is simply a "habitual liar."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"He's a habitual liar. He lies astir everything. He lies astir worldly that doesn't marque sense." 

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Harris-Walz run but did not perceive backmost anterior to work time.