American broadcaster William Brent Christensen arrived at the Taiwanese president on Sunday to mark the 62nd anniversary of a deadly Chinese attack, amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Christensen, the de facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan, became the first U.S. envoy to attend ceremonies commemorating the 1958 Chinese bombing of Kinmen, an island ruled by Taiwan near mainland China. Reuters reported.
Christensen, the head of the American Institute in Taiwan, accompanied President Tsai Ing-wen as she laid a wreath and bowed her head at a memorial park. He also laid wreaths at a monument to two U.S. soldiers who died in a 1954 attack on Kinmen.
Neither Christensen nor Tsai spoke at the event.
“Considerations like these remind us that the current security cooperation between the United States and Taiwan is based on a long and proud history that exemplifies the phrase ‘True Friends, True Progress,'” the institute said in a statement issued by Reuters.
The Taiwan Presidency expressed gratitude that Christensen participated in the annual event, adding that it is a reminder of the importance of freedom and democracy.
The US has no official ties with Taiwan, over whom China claims sovereignty. But the US is Taiwan’s largest arms supplier and President Trump
Donald John TrumpGeorge Conway withdrew from Lincoln Project Kellyanne Conway to leave the White House at the end of the month Goodell from NFL to Kaepernick to protest: ‘I wish we had heard earlier’ MOREThe administration has prioritized improving relations with Taiwan, until the rejection of China.
China has increased military activity around the island, following criticism from the Taiwanese government, according to Reuters.
The American Institute in Taiwan operates as a non-profit organization instead of an embassy, but State Department staff members staff the institute, The Associated Press noted.
China has announced warming US relations with Taiwan. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alexander Azar visited the country earlier this month the meeting at the highest level of US and Taiwan officials in decades.
The improving relationship between Taiwan and the US comes as relations are souring between the US and China over issues such as technology, espionage allegations, trade, the South China Sea and China’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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