Taipei, Taiwan (CNN) Alex Azar, the United States Health and Human Services secretary, met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Monday, the highest-level meeting between Washington and the self-ruled island in decades. The visit has been condemned by Beijing, which regards Taiwan as Chinese territory, and comes amid an all-time low in US-China relations. Speaking Monday, Azar said his trip "demonstrates the robust US-Taiwan partnership on global health and health security, one of many aspects of our comprehensive friendship." Cross-strait tensionsThough the Communist Party has never controlled Taiwan, Beijing considers the island to be a sovereign part of China. Speaking Monday, Azar said his visit was "consistent with the United States' long standing 'one-China policy' and past engagement with Taiwan."

Source: CNN August 10, 2020 02:37 UTC