TAIPEI, Taiwan: United States Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar arrived in Taiwan on Sunday in the highest-level visit by an American Cabinet official since the break in formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Taipei in 1979. Beijing has already protested Azar’s visit as a betrayal of US commitments not to have official contact with the island. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by military force if necessary. Azar is the first health secretary to visit Taiwan and the first Cabinet member to visit in six years. That, in turn, has increased already considerable bipartisan sympathy for Taipei in Washington and prompted new measures to strengthen governmental and military ties.

Source: Manila Times August 09, 2020 14:56 UTC