Rapprochement of America with Taiwan: Double provocation for China

It is the highest-ranking American to visit Taiwan since the termination of official diplomatic relations between the two sides more than forty years ago. The Minister of health Alex Azar announced on Wednesday on Twitter that he "will be traveling in the coming days" to Taiwan. The programme also included a Meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen is.

Friederike Böge

Political correspondent for East Asia.

The goal of the trip, the Minister said that he would submit to the government the support of President Donald Trump for Taiwan's global leadership role in health care. In addition, he wanted to underline "our common Belief that free and democratic societies represent the best model to protect and promote health". Azar praised Taiwan's transparency and international cooperation during the pandemic as a model.

China sees the visit is a double provocation. For one, it considers Taiwan as part of its own territory, which is why it evaluates each official contact between Washington and Taipei as a violation of the One-China principle. On the other Azars visit looms once again, Taiwan's achievements in the fight against the Coronavirus in the focus of world public opinion and, by doing so, Beijing's Narrative that in the corona of crisis have proven, the political System of the people's Republic of as successful, if not superior.

According to sharp, the response from Beijing was on Wednesday: "Taiwan is the most important and most sensitive issue in Sino-us relations," said a spokesman for the foreign Ministry. He called on Washington "in any official exchanges with Taiwan, to the damage of the Chinese-avert-American relations and to preserve the stability in the Taiwan Strait".

the threat of China against Taiwan

At the same time, increased China with new threats and the pressure on Taiwan. Party media reported on Wednesday by the military exercises, which recently skills practiced had been, the "would play a Central role in the potential military operations on the island of Taiwan". At the maneuver combat helicopters and war ships had been involved, wrote the Global Times.

China has long threatened to force a "reunification" with Taiwan by force, if necessary, if the government in Taipei should declare independence. Since 2005, this threat is even enshrined in law. How seriously Beijing says the underlined Prime Minister Li Keqiang in may, in his government statement before the national people's Congress. Like every year, he referred to the goal of a "reunification" with Taiwan, contrary to the usual, he declined, however, the adjective "peaceful".