US-China relations: this is the start of a new cooperation, Taiwan’s president tells US health secretary on landmark visit
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US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar became the highest-level US Cabinet member to meet Tsai on Monday in a high-profile visit that saw him and his group landing in a flag-carrier American transport plane at Taipei’s Songshan airport on Sunday.
“It is a true honour to be here to convey a message of strong support and friendship from President Trump to Taiwan,” Azar said in his meeting with Tsai at the island’s Presidential Office.
US health chief offers ‘strong support’ to Taiwan in landmark visit
“President Trump has signed legislation to strengthen the partnership between Taiwan and the United States, and in 2018, we opened a new American Institute in Taiwan – a brick-and-mortar commitment to our treasured friendship,” he said, referring to the US opening of a new headquarters compound for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the US de facto embassy in Taiwan in the absence of formal relations.