China slams US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's Taiwan visit

As the tensions between the two countries intensified over a range of issues, China on Monday slammed US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's visit to Taiwan.

As the tensions between the two countries intensified over a range of issues, China on Monday slammed US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's visit to Taiwan. According to a report by state-run Xinhua, China's Foreign Ministry on Monday slammed the US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar's ongoing visit to Taiwan, urging the US side to stop official interactions and contact of all kinds, as well as the upgrading of substantive relations with the island.

The remarks were made by China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian at a press briefing. According to a Sputnik report, Azar highlighted the democratic values both the US and Taiwan share during his historic visit to the island on Monday.

"I'm grateful to President Tsai for welcoming us to Taiwan. And I look forward to using this visit to convey our admiration for Taiwan and to learn about how our shared democratic values have driven success in health," Azar was quoted as saying during his speech, before a meeting with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen. Azar's visit is now the highest-level visit by a US Cabinet official to Taiwan since 1979, when Washington switched its official recognition to Beijing and established formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

Relations between the US and China have nosedived in recent times with the two countries sparring over several issues including the imposition of national security law in Hong Kong, China's territorial claims in South China Sea, handling of coronavirus pandemic among others. (ANI)

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