US announces highest-level visit in decades to Taiwan

The United States on Wednesday announced its “highest level” visit to Taiwan in decades in a sign of a strengthening alliance between Taipei and Washington as both face rising tensions with China.

In a move quickly denounced by Beijing, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - the de facto US embassy - confirmed the visit of Alex Azar, the health secretary in the “coming days” to the democratic, self-ruled island, which China’s communist leaders seek to annex, and have threatened to seize by force.

"This marks... the first Cabinet member to visit in six years, and the highest-level visit by a US Cabinet official since 1979," the AIT said.

“I look forward to conveying President Trump’s support for Taiwan’s global health leadership and underscoring our shared belief that free and democratic societies are the best model for protecting and promoting health,” said Mr Azar in a statement.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry welcomed the planned trip, tweeting: “Taiwan and the US are like-minded partners cooperating closely in combating the coronavirus and promoting freedom, democracy and human rights worldwide.”

Taiwan, an island of 23 million just 80 miles from the coast of China, operates like any other nation with its own democratically elected government, military, currency and foreign policy.

The majority of its population identify as Taiwanese, and Taipei rejects China’s claim to the island as its own territory.

However, it is only officially recognised by 15 nations and has faced increasing efforts by the Chinese government to isolate it on the global stage by squeezing it out of international institutions like the World Heath Organization (WHO) and other UN bodies.

The US switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979 but, like the UK, Japan and many other western nations, it retains strong informal relations.

Washington remains the leading arms supplier to the island but has historically been cautious in holding official contacts with it, in an effort to keep smoother ties with Beijing.

This has changed significantly under a Trump administration, which has increasingly embraced Taiwan as it grows more hawkish towards China.

China on Wednesday afternoon slammed the proposed trip by Mr Azar and the foreign ministry said it had lodged “stern representations” with Washington.

“Taiwan is the most important and sensitive issue in the Sino-US relations,” said spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

“We urge the US to abide by the One China policy and the joint Sino-US communique, stop all state visits between the US and Taiwan. The US should exercise prudence while handling Taiwan-related issues and avoid sending the erroneous Taiwan independence signals," he said.

Mr Azar, however, has billed his visit as “an opportunity to strengthen our economic and public health cooperation with Taiwan, especially as the United States and other countries work to strengthen and diversify our sources for crucial medical products”.

Taiwan has been praised globally for its robust strategy in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic despite its proximity to China, keeping cases low at 476 with just seven deaths. The US, meanwhile, is struggling to fight back the disease as cases soar close to five million, with more than 160,000 deaths.

Margaret Lewis, a law professor at Seton Hall University and Taiwan expert who has just arrived on the island, said: “I can attest to the seriousness with which Taiwan is combating Covid-19. The United States has much to learn. I hope Secretary Azar takes these lessons home with him.”

But politically speaking, the visit was also “significant”, she added.

In recent months the US and China have simultaneously clashed over the coronavirus pandemic, trade issues, industrial espionage, territorial claims in the South China Sea, Taiwan, human rights concerns in Xinjiang and Tibet and civil liberties in Hong Kong.

“Taipei and D.C. are no doubt carefully weighing the pros and cons of increasing in-person official contacts, which of course Beijing watches closely" Prof. Lewis said. "Beijing's possible response is an important consideration, but it should not dictate US-Taiwan relations.”

Ross Darrell Feingold, a Taipei-based lawyer and political risk analyst, said the move would be welcomed by Taiwan and its supporters but cautioned against calling it a “breakthrough”, pointing out that Mr Azar had previously met with Chen Shih-chung, the Taiwanese health minister. 

“The key US government agencies for Taiwan are Defense, State, and the United States Trade Representative's office, and a visit by the head of one of these agencies would make a far greater statement than Health and Human Services,” he said.

China, which is highly sensitive towards any form of recognition of Taiwan as an independent entity, has not yet responded.

Ties between Beijing and Washington and Taipei have hit fresh lows this year.

Joseph Wu, the Taiwanese foreign minister, cautioned at the end of July that China was stepping up military preparedness to overtake Taiwan, following a recent spike of Chinese drills near the island.

On Wednesday, the South China Morning Post reported that Taiwan’s military had sent a marine company to reinforce a garrison on a small outpost on the Pratas Islands in the South China Sea, amid reports that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army was planning a simulated attack on the islets.

The US has also beefed up its naval presence and joint drills with allies in the South China Sea in recent months, in a show of force it says aims to ensure “freedom of navigation” in disputed waters that China has laid historical claims to.

In a further sign of US-China tensions, Wang Wenbin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman indicated on Tuesday that Beijing may retaliate if Chinese journalists were not granted visa extensions in the US.

Mr Wang said that no Chinese journalist based in the States had been granted a visa extension since Washington announced new immigration restrictions for those working for non-American outlets in May.

Their visas are now limited to 90 days with an option for an extension, but would have to leave the country if this does not materialise.

“If the US persists, China will take a necessary and legitimate response to safeguard its rights,” Mr Wang said, without revealing any details.

However, Hu Xijin the editor of state-backed newspaper, The Global Times, tweeted that American journalists based in Hong Kong would be among those targeted should Chinese journalists be forced to leave the United States.

State media outlet China Daily also published an editorial criticising Washington for provoking an “all-out confrontation with China’ over Chinese journalists’ visas.

“No longer content with their maximum pressure ploys to coerce China into accepting an unfair trade deal, these neo-crusaders are seeking to provoke an all-out confrontation whereby they can finally hold ‘communist China’ by the throat,” it said.

The two countries have already engaged in tit-for-tat targeting of journalists this year.  China expelled reporters working for three major American newspapers while the US designated nine Chinese state media outlets as “foreign missions” and reduced the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work at their US offices.