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US-China relations: Azar salutes late Taiwanese leader Lee Teng-hui
- Azar visits shrine and praises Lee’s role in Taiwan’s transition to democracy
- US official says Washington sees the island as ‘our friend and our partner across security, economic and healthcare issues’
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A US cabinet member visited a shrine to Taiwan’s late president, Lee Teng-hui, on Wednesday, praising his role in steering the island’s transition to democracy, as he capped a historic trip to the island that has riled Beijing.
Health chief Alex Azar is on a three-day visit to Taiwan that Washington has billed as its highest-level delegation since the US switched diplomatic recognition to mainland China in 1979.
His visit comes as US-China relations plunge to historic lows with the two powers clashing over a wide range of issues from trade to military and security issues, human rights and the coronavirus pandemic.
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US Health Secretary Alex Azar pays tribute to late Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui
US Health Secretary Alex Azar pays tribute to late Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui
On the last day of his visit, Azar visited a shrine and wrote a message of condolence for Lee, who died last month aged 97.
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“President Lee’s democratic legacy will forever propel the US-Taiwan relationship forward,” Azar wrote.
Lee was a towering figure in Taiwan’s recent history.
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He defied Beijing by pushing for the island to be recognised as a sovereign nation and earned the nickname “Mr Democracy” for the part he played in its transition from authoritarian rule.
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