US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that the singular purpose of US Health Secretary Alex Azar’s visit to Taiwan is to know how Taiwan so successfully dealt with the virus. Pompeo made the comments in an interview with Sean Spicer of Newsmax TV on Monday.
Azar is the highest ranking US official to visit Taiwan since the two sides ended official diplomatic ties in 1979.
Pompeo said that the purpose of the visit is to understand the virus and its threat and how Taiwan successfully dealt with it so well.
When Spicer mentioned China’s anger over the trip, Pompeo said he is surprised that anyone would find it threatening when the US sends its health minister to another country to reduce the risk of the virus to the world. He said “it seems pretty weak” that the Chinese Communist Party would feel threatened by such a visit and see it as a challenge to its national security.
When asked if the US would defend Taiwan if China took provocative actions against Taiwan, Pompeo said that this is a sensitive issue that has been discussed at length with President Donald Trump. He said the US will continue to uphold its commitments and understandings with Taiwan and China.