TSAI ING-WEN

It is the first joint visit to Taiwan by members of parliament from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Tsai said. China claims Taiwan is its own territory and rejects any attempts by the self-ruled island to participate in international forums or establish diplomatic relations with other countries that would give it international recognition.

Taiwan says 27 Chinese aircraft entered its air defense buffer zone in the latest in a long series of incursions as part of Beijing’s pressure on the self-ruled island.

Five U.S. lawmakers met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Friday morning in a surprise one-day visit intended to reaffirm the United States' "rock solid" support for the self-governing island.

Five U.S. lawmakers have met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen during a surprise one-day visit intended to reaffirm the United States' support for the self-governing island.

Five U.S. lawmakers are in Taiwan in a surprise one-day visit, says the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto embassy.

The Boston Celtics’ Enes Kanter recently took another jab at Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James for reportedly choosing money over morals on the issues of forced labor in China, Uyghurs and Tibet. What happened: Kanter, 29, took to social media on Thursday to again call out James, 36, for not standing up against Nike and its alleged use of forced labor when manufacturing its shoes.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen commissioned into service 64 upgraded F-16V fighter jets at an air force base in Chiayi on Thursday. Beijing has been stepping up its threat by sending fighter jets in combat formations into Taiwan’s buffer zone southwest of the island on a regular basis, along with longer-range missions into the Western Pacific. China and Taiwan split during a civil war in 1949, and Beijing has not ruled out force to reunify with the island. Taiwan has mooted the idea of purchasing fifth generation aircraft from the U.S. but the F-16 upgrade was decided as the most effective measure under present circumstances. China’s superiority in both quality and quantity of fighter aircraft is seen as turning the military balance in the Taiwan Strait to its advantage, independent of involvement by U.S. forces.

Taiwan has deployed the most advanced version of the F-16 fighter jet in its air force, as the self-ruled island steps up its defense capabilities in the face of continuing threats from China.

Taiwan has deployed the most advanced version of the F-16 fighter jet in its air force, as the self-ruled island steps up its defense capabilities in the face of continuing threats from China, which claims it as part of its territory. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen commissioned into service 64 upgraded F-16V fighter jets at an air force base in Chiayi on Thursday. The aircraft represent part of Taiwan's total 141 F-16 A/B jets, an older model from the 1990s that will be completely retrofitted by the end of 2023.

Chinese military forces are holding exercises near Taiwan in response to a visit by a U.S. congressional delegation to the island.

Taiwan says China is seeking to take control of the island by wearing down its military capabilities and influencing public opinion.

The head of a European Parliament delegation on its first official visit to Taiwan says it’s “high time” for the European Union to step up cooperation with the self-ruled island, which is also claimed by China.

European lawmakers are meeting with Taiwan’s premier in the first official visit of a European Parliament delegation to the self-ruled island, which is also claimed by China.

The U.S. wants to deepen its relationship with Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by China, which has become a major point of conflict in the strained U.S.-China relationship.

Taiwan Defense FILE - In this Sept. 15, 2021, file photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, center, speaks with military personnel near aircraft parked on a highway in Jiadong, Taiwan. Taiwan's Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said that Taiwan must defend itself Thursday morning, Oct. 28, 2021 and could not completely depend on others, after the island's President said she had faith the U.S. would defend the island if China made a move. Tsai said in an interview aired Thursday with CNN that she had faith the U.S. would help defend Taiwan if China made a move on the island. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP, File) (Uncredited)TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — Taiwan's defense minister said Thursday that Taiwan must be prepared to defend itself and could not entirely depend on other countries to help if China were to launch an attack against the island, even as Taiwan's president said she had faith the U.S. would defend it. Taiwan's defense ministry has said that China would have “comprehensive” capabilities to invade the island by 2025.

Taiwan’s defense minister says the island must defend itself and not depend entirely on others for help if China were to launch an attack, even as Taiwan’s president says she has faith the U.S. would defend it.

The United States and China are stepping up their war of words over Taiwan in a long-simmering dispute that has significant implications for the power dynamic in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

Biden’s remarks on Taiwan’s defense clash with long-running U.S. policy of ‘strategic ambiguity.' Officials say there has been no policy change.

China is saying there is “no room” for compromise or concessions over the issue of Taiwan, following a comment by U.S. President Joe Biden that the U.S. is committed to defending the island if it is attacked.

After sending a record number of military aircraft to harass Taiwan over China’s National Day holiday, Beijing has toned down the saber rattling but tensions remain high, with the rhetoric and reasoning behind the exercises unchanged.

China "does not need to use force" in order to achieve its desired "reunification" with Taiwan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

A Chinese official says China’s recent increase in military exercises and warplane missions near Taiwan were necessary to defend the nation’s sovereignty and territory.

Police say the Capital Gazette newspaper shooting that left at least 5 people dead in Annapolis, Maryland was "a targeted attack."

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to reject China’s attempts at reunification in a speech made during the country’s National Day this Sunday. Tsai’s speech came days after China flew record numbers of warplanes into its defense zone in a significant escalation of military tensions. Ramy Inocencio reports.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — Taiwan's president on Sunday vowed to defend the island from China's rising pressure for reunification, after a week of unprecedented tensions with Beijing. Speaking at the island's National Day celebrations, a rare show of Taiwanese defense capabilities in the annual parade underlined Tsai Ing-wen's promise to resist Chinese military threats. “But the more we achieve, the greater the pressure we face from China,” Tsai said in her speech. Tsai said Taiwan wanted to contribute to peaceful regional development, even as the situation becomes “more tense and complex” in the Indo-Pacific. On Saturday, China's leader Xi Jinping said that reunification with Taiwan “must be realized", while claiming “peaceful” reunification was possible.

“We will do our utmost to prevent the status quo from being unilaterally altered,” she said. China claims Taiwan as part of its national territory although the island is self-ruled. “We will continue to bolster our national defense and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us,” Tsai said. Since September of last year, China has flown fighter jets more than 800 times towards Taiwan. Following Tsai's speech, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense showed off a series of its weapons and defense capabilities.

Taiwan’s president has vowed to defend the island from China’s rising pressure for reunification, after a week of tensions with Beijing.

A spate of Chinese military flights off southwestern Taiwan in recent days has prompted alarm from the island, which Beijing claims as its own, and is increasing tensions in a region already on edge.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping says reunification with Taiwan will happen peacefully, despite a recent ratcheting up of military threats against the self-governing island.

Taiwan Australia Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott wears a mask with the Chinese character for "Australia" during a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Abbott met Tsai during a trip that comes in a particularly tense moment between Taiwan and China. (Pool Photo via AP Photo) (Uncredited)TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — Australia’s former prime minister has accused China of being a bully and expressed enthusiastic support for Taiwan while visiting the democratically ruled island. “Nothing is more pressing right now than solidarity with Taiwan," former Prime Minister Tony Abbott told a conference Friday in Taiwan. The Australian government has said his visit to Taiwan is unofficial.

A former Australian prime minister has accused China of being a bully and expressed enthusiastic support for Taiwan while visiting the democratically ruled island.

(Central News Agency/Pool Photo via AP) (Uncredited)TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — A group of French senators visiting Taiwan as part of a regular parliamentary exchange met with President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday morning during a trip that comes in a particularly tense moment between Taiwan and China. It tried to discourage the French senators' visit, with its embassy in France saying ahead of the trip that it would undermine Chinese-French relations. This is the third visit to Taiwan for Richard, a former French defense minister, who previously visited Taiwan in 2015 and 2018. The senators' trip is a recurrent one that French lawmakers make as part of the Taiwan Friendship group, especially as new senators are elected every three years. Taiwan’s defense minister described the current situation as the most severe in 40 years.

A group of French senators visiting Taiwan as part of a regular parliamentary exchange met with President Tsai Ing-wen during a trip that comes in a particularly tense moment between China and the self-ruled island.

With record numbers of military flights near Taiwan over the last week, China has been stepping up its harassment of the island it claims as its own, demonstrating a new level of threat as it asserts its territorial ambitions in the region.

From Cold War skirmishes to China’s economic opening, both sides have avoided war by leaving unsettled the question of who actually owns the island.

The group, led by senator Alain Richard, will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwanese economic and health officials and the Mainland Affairs Council. Richard, a former French defense minister, previously visited Taiwan in 2015 and 2018, according to Taiwan's semi-official Central News Agency, and heads the Taiwan Friendship group in the French senate. China tried to discourage Richard's visit, with its embassy in France saying ahead of the trip: “It will not only damage China’s core interests and undermine China-French relations, but will also damage France’s own reputation and interests."

President Joe Biden is dispatching White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan for talks with a senior Chinese foreign policy adviser.

Beijing says it will block Taiwan's application to join an 11-member Pacific Rim trade grouping.

Fraught relations with neighboring China are dominating Saturday's election for the leader of Taiwan’s main opposition Nationalist Party. Four candidates, including incumbent Chairman Johnny Chiang, are competing for the leadership of the party that has advocated closer relations with Beijing. China has threatened to use force to bring Taiwan under its control and has increasingly used military, diplomatic and economic pressure in an attempt to undermine the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen and sway opinion among the Taiwanese people, who strongly favor the status quo of de-facto independence.

Taiwan Drills In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, second from right, watches as a military jet taxis along a highway in Jiadong, Taiwan, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021. The Taiwanese military exercise envisioned a Chinese attack taking out the island's main airfields, necessitating the use of rural roads as runways to carry on the fight. War is not imminent, but as China has grown increasingly assertive in both the East China and South China Seas, Taiwan is stepping up its defense. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, flies fighter jets toward Taiwan on a regular basis in an effort to warn and intimidate the island’s air force. Last month, Chinese fighter jets, anti-submarine aircraft and combat ships conducted joint assault drills near Taiwan with China saying the exercise was necessary to safeguard its sovereignty.

An F-16 screeched across the sky before landing on a highway cut through pineapple fields in southwestern Taiwan to refuel quickly and take off again.

SU'AO, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan's president oversaw the commissioning of a new domestically made navy warship Thursday as part of the island's plan to boost indigenous defense capacity amid heightened tensions with China. President Tsai Ing-wen spoke at a naval base in Su'ao, on the island's east coast, saying the ship “proves that on the path to becoming independent in national defense, no matter what difficulties arise, we can overcome them one by one.” The ship known as the Ta Jiang and nicknamed a “carrier killer” was built by Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co., a Taiwanese company.

State health officials in Nevada say hospitals are seeing a severe shortage of nurses and some northern Nevada hospitals are nearly out of staffed beds for patients.

Taiwan has received its first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after a prolonged purchasing process that gave rise to a political blame game with China.

The head of the World Health Organization has called for a two-month moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as a means of reducing global vaccine inequality and preventing the emergence of new coronavirus variants.

Hawaii’s governor is urging residents and potential visitors to limit travel to the islands to essential business while the state struggles to control outbreaks of the delta variant of the coronavirus.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has received her first dose of the island’s domestically developed coronavirus vaccine on Monday, launching its rollout to the public.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen received her first dose of the island's domestically developed coronavirus vaccine on Monday, launching its rollout to the public. The vaccine, made by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp., was given emergency approval by regulators in July using a shortcut that prompted fierce opposition from parts of Taiwan's medical and scientific community. Instead, they compared the level of antibodies that Medigen's vaccine was able to generate with that of AstraZeneca's vaccine, which has been approved by many governments and has undergone the full three stages of clinical trials.

Officers from the U.S. and Taiwanese coast guards have met to discuss improving cooperation and communication despite efforts by China to isolate the self-governing island democracy

That the deal came via a businessman with strong ties to Mainland China months after the government failed to buy the same vaccines, indicates that Beijing put its finger on the scale, political observers say.

The assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse has drawn shock and condemnation from leaders around the world, along with calls for calm and unity in Haiti.

The U.S. sent 2.5 million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses to Taiwan on Sunday — More than triple the number it had previously pledged, AP reports.Why it matters: The donation is a show of support for Taiwan as it faces pressure from China, which has claimed the self-governed island as its territory, AP writes. It comes as Taiwan has faced an uptick in COVID-19 cases in May, despite the virus having been largely under control in the country until that point.Get market news worthy of your time with

The U.S. is sending 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID vaccine to Taiwan, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP, File) (Uncredited)TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — The U.S. sent 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on Sunday, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. It has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday. The U.S. donation follows Japan’s shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June. Taiwan has ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of them.

The U.S. is sending 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID vaccine to Taiwan, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP, File) (Uncredited)TAIPEI, Taiwan — (AP) — The U.S. is sending 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan, tripling an earlier pledge in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning. It has ordered 5.05 million doses directly from Moderna but so far received only 390,000, including a second shipment that arrived Friday. The U.S. donation follows Japan's shipment of 1.24 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in early June. Taiwan has ordered 10 million doses from AstraZeneca but has yet to receive most of themCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

A plane with 2.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Taiwan from the U.S. in a donation with both public health and geopolitical meaning.

The island nation’s freedoms have lifted high-tech innovation, making China dependent on its electronic goods. An invasion would only set back the Communist Party’s goals.

The sortie was the biggest of its kind since the Taiwanese government began publishing information about the frequent incursions last year. They have followed actions that Beijing disapproves of.

Three senators visiting Taiwan say the U.S. will give the self-ruled island 750,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, part of President Joe Biden’s move to share tens of millions of jabs globally.

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A flight carrying 1.24 million doses of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine from Japan touched down in Taiwan on Friday to help the vaccine-starved island fight its largest outbreak since the pandemic began. Taiwan, a self-governing island short of doses, has blamed China for interfering in a potential deal for another vaccine. Now it is more than doubling its vaccine supply thanks to Japan, which is trying to play a greater role in global vaccination distribution and accelerate its own slow rollout ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in July.

Taiwan has a longstanding policy of not importing Chinese-made vaccines. China has called it a politically motivated decision.

Across much of Asia, taxi drivers are starved for customers, weddings are suddenly canceled, schools are closed, and restaurant service is restricted as the coronavirus comes surging back in countries where it had seemed to be well under control.

Fauci says children who are not vaccinated — including children under 12 who won’t be eligible for vaccines for months — should continue to wear masks indoors. ___TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan reported 240 cases of domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 and two new deaths Tuesday. He said 70 percent of those above the age of 60 have received one shot, about one-quarter of them are fully vaccinated. All in all, 40 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given and around nine million people are fully vaccinated, in this country of 83 million. “Moderna has signed a deal for 500 million doses with COVAX, but the majority has been promised only for 2021,” Tedros said Monday.

State officials said Monday, May 17 that the delay will give people time to prepare, and for the state to make sure that virus cases stay low. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) (Marcio Jose Sanchez)TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan reported 240 cases of domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 and two new deaths Tuesday. And she said several quarantine centers were being added to care for patients with mild or no symptoms. All in all, 40 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given and around nine million people are fully vaccinated, in this country of 83 million. “Moderna has signed a deal for 500 million doses with COVAX, but the majority has been promised only for 2021,” Tedros said Monday.

An equipment failure caused an outage at a power plant in southern Taiwan on Thursday, triggering rolling blackouts across the island affecting millions of people. The outage in Kaohsiung trapped at least one person in an elevator and disrupted a daily briefing being given by government officials on the island's pandemic situation. Taipower, the government-run electric company, launched the rolling blackouts at 3 p.m. and said emergency repairs were underway.

Some of the countries that were most praised last year for controlling the coronavirus are lagging far behind in getting their populations vaccinated.

From Cold War skirmishes to China’s economic opening, both sides have avoided war by leaving unsettled the question of who actually owns the island.

Prosecutors in Taiwan are seeking an arrest warrant for the owner of an unmanned truck that rolled onto a train track, causing the country’s worst rail disaster in decades.

Chef Hung shows pineapple beef noodle outside of his restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Hung Ching Lung, a Taipei chef, has created a pineapple beef noodle soup at his eponymous restaurant Chef Hung, in what he says is a modest attempt to support Taiwanese pineapple farmers. Taipei chef Hung Ching Lung created a pineapple beef noodle soup at his eponymous restaurant Chef Hung, in what he says is a modest attempt to support Taiwanese pineapple farmers. The spiky fruit became a politically charged symbol after China banned the import of Taiwan's pineapples on March 1, citing pests. China denies its move to ban Taiwanese pineapples was politically motivated, with a spokesperson for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office saying that the decision was a “normal biosafety measure, and entirely reasonable and necessary."

In this photo released by the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, a Chinese People's Liberation Army H-6 bomber is seen flying near the Taiwan air defense identification zone, ADIZ, near Taiwan on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. The second high-level U.S. envoy to visit Taiwan in two months began a day of closed-door meetings Friday as China conducted military drills near the Taiwan Strait after threatening retaliation. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said China on Saturday sent eight bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons and four fighter jets into its air defense identification zone just southwest of the island. In another sign of support for Taiwan, the island's de-facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, was an invited guest at Biden's inauguration. Taiwan and China separated amid civil war in 1949 and China says it is determined to bring the island under its control by force if necessary.

The State Department cancelled a planned visit to Taiwan by Craft, as well as several other trips planned by senior officials. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)TAIPEI – The U.S. State Department canceled the planned Taiwan visit by its U.N. ambassador that has drawn strong opposition and a warning from China. China had already warned the U.S. would pay a “heavy price" in response to the planned visit. Cabinet official to visit since the U.S. switched formal relations from Taiwan to China in 1979. Wu also noted that current policy moves could be reversed, pointing to the historic meeting between former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and Chinese leader in 2015.

In this image from video, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen delivers a speech at the Office of the President in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Tsai hailed the island's progress in containing the coronavirus pandemic and growing the economy while facing military threats from China. (AP Photo/Wu Taijing)TAIPEI – Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday hailed the island’s progress in containing the coronavirus pandemic and growing the economy while facing military threats from China. In her annual New Year’s Day address, Tsai said Taiwan had effectively conquered the virus through “believing in professionalism, trusting one another and unifying as a society,” without lockdowns or serious disruptions to business and education. China cut links with Tsai's government shortly after her 2016 inauguration to a first term and demands she recognize Taiwan as a part of China.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also condemned the new sanctions leveled against 14 officials in the standing committee of China’s legislature, which passed a sweeping Hong Kong National Security Law earlier this year. That prompted the rest of the opposition bloc to resign en masse, while Washington leveled sanctions at leading figures in both the Hong Kong government and related Chinese government departments. That, he said, proved Washington was the “black hand" behind disorder in Hong Kong, repeating a frequent Chinese accusation rejected by the U.S. Forden “noted that Beijing has used the law repeatedly to suppress freedom of expression and assembly in Hong Kong and to arrest Hong Kong residents who have raised peacefully their concerns over Beijing’s oppressive policies," the embassy said in a statement on its website. The Trump administration appears to be using Taiwan, Hong Kong and other issues to heighten the level of confrontation in China-U.S. relations, said Su Hao, professor of international relations at China Foreign Affairs University.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen inaugurated the production of domestically-made submarines Tuesday in the southern city of Kaohsiung, in a step forward for the island's defense strategy at a time of elevated tensions with China. (AP Photo/Huizhong Wu)KAOHSIUNG – Taiwan's president inaugurated the production of domestically made submarines Tuesday in the southern city of Kaohsiung, in a step forward for the island's defense strategy at a time of elevated tensions with China. “This submarine is an important part of allowing our navy to develop asymmetric warfare and to intimidate and block enemy ships from surrounding Taiwan’s main island,” said President Tsai Ing-wen. Weapons sales to the island have increased in quantity and quality in recent years, especially under the Trump administration. It also possesses around 2,000 combat fighters and bombers and 1,250 ground-launched ballistic missiles, considered a key strategic and psychological weapon against Taiwan.

People hold a pig model with a slogan "Betraying pig farmers" during a protest in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Nov. 22. Thousands of people marched in streets on Sunday demanding the reversal of a decision to allow U.S. pork imports into Taiwan, alleging food safety issues. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)TAIPEI – Thousands of people marched in Taipei's streets on Sunday demanding the reversal of a decision to allow U.S. pork imports into Taiwan, alleging food safety issues. The new policy allows imports of pork with acceptable residues of ractopamine, a drug added into animal feed that promotes the growth of lean meat that some farmers use in pigs. If they mix the U.S. pork with Taiwan pork and then sell it to us average consumers, we as individuals have no way to know the source of the pork.”“I have a child and when we eat things with ractopamine, it's not good for our bodies,” said Jacky Tsui, a 37-year-old factory worker.

Other leaders who supported Trump, including President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines, congratulated Biden, indicating they rejected Trump’s claim the election wasn’t over. Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia told reporters he looked forward to a “great partnership” with Washington. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan said he looked forward to working together to end illegal tax havens and on peacemaking in Afghanistan. Others expressed hope Biden will help to heal divisions in American society and global politics. Prime Minister Janez Jansa was the only leader who congratulated Trump even before all votes were counted and showed support after Biden’s win was announced.

(AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas district judge on Friday upheld an order from El Paso County’s top elected official shutting down businesses while the region fights an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases. The state reported 540 confirmed coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours. ___TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas added a record-setting 5,418 new coronavirus cases over two days as hospitals warned that staffing was being seriously strained. ___PRISTINA, Kosovo — Kosovo authorities ordered a weekend lockdown following a spike in daily coronavirus cases. Russia’s tally of confirmed coronavirus cases — currently the fourth largest in the world —has exceeded 1.7 million following a quick spread of contagion since September.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a visit to the Penghu Magong military air base in outlying Penghu Island, Taiwan Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, China sent two planes into Taiwan's air defense identification zone, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense. The Taiwanese defense ministry said the planes crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has remained defiant, visiting a military base on Tuesday and encouraging the personnel, in particular pilots and crew. Taiwanese foreign minister Joseph Wu said in July that Chinese military exercises have increased in frequency and become “virtually a daily occurrence."

SINGAPORE — Tensions are escalating in the Taiwan Strait and Beijing has been flexing its military might. While a high-level U.S. State Department official visit to Taiwan last week angered China, it probably didn't cross any "red line," said Kelsey Broderick, China analyst at the Eurasia Group. "Red lines are tricky, the only real red line we know from Beijing for certain is if Taiwan declares formal independence," Broderick told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "However, anything that assumes or leans toward Taiwan sovereignty is maybe something of an orange line or a yellow line when it comes to China's relationship with Taiwan." Was it a red line?

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a memorial service for the late former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui in Taipei, Taiwan on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. On Saturday, Beijing dispatched 19 more warplanes, two of which were bombers, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry. Lee had built a separate Taiwanese political identity, distinct from mainland China, which claims Taiwan as part of its own territory to be reunited by force if necessary. The Trump administration has taken multiple steps in recent months to strengthen its engagement with Taiwan, angering China. Krach is the second high-level official to visit Taiwan in two months, following U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar in August.

In this photo released by the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu pose for a selfie with U.S. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach, right, during a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Taiwan’s defense ministry said two bombers and 16 fighter jets from China crossed into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone. Cabinet official to visit since the U.S. switched formal relations from Taiwan to China in 1979. China has increasingly relied on military threats and diplomatic isolation to pressure Taiwan.

Under Secretary of State Keith Krach, second right, reacts as he is greeted after disembarking from a plane upon arrival at the airport in Taipei. Krach is in Taiwan on Thursday for the second visit by a high-level American official in two months, prompting a stern warning and threat of possible retaliation from China. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach arrived in Taiwan on Thursday for the second visit by a high-level American official in two months, prompting a stern warning and threat of possible retaliation from China. Beijing considers Taiwan its own and opposes all official contacts between other countries and the self-governing island. Cabinet official to visit since the U.S. switched formal relations from Taiwan to China in 1979.

TAIPEI U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday during the highest-level visit by an American Cabinet official since the break in formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei in 1979. Azar is due to hold consultations with health officials and deliver a speech later in the day. Azars visit was facilitated by the 2018 passage of the Taiwan Travel Act, which encouraged Washington to send higher-level officials to Taiwan after decades during which such contacts were rare. That, in turn, has increased already considerable bipartisan sympathy for Taipei in Washington and prompted new measures to strengthen governmental and military ties. Taiwan, an island of 23 million people, moved swiftly and aggressively to contain COVID-19 and has recorded just 277 cases and seven deaths from the illness.

TAIPEI U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar arrived in Taiwan on Sunday in the highest-level visit by an American Cabinet official since the break in formal diplomatic relations between Washington and Taipei in 1979. Beijing has already protested Azars visit as a betrayal of U.S. commitments not to have official contact with the island. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under its control by military force if necessary. Azar is the first health secretary to visit Taiwan and the first Cabinet member to visit in six years. That, in turn, has increased already considerable bipartisan sympathy for Taipei in Washington and prompted new measures to strengthen governmental and military ties.

Azar leads a U.S. delegation departing this weekend for a three-day visit to Taiwan, where they will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and health system leaders, and Azar will give a speech to public health graduates. The message of this trip is about Taiwan, Azar said in an interview, deflecting a question about China. It's about public health, it's about our partnership with Taiwan, but also the model that Taiwan offers to the world community of a transparent and open health care system. It will be good if our health chief can learn from Taiwan, how exactly they did it, said Cheng. This is a visit to reinforce the U.S.-Taiwan partnership in global health and health security, said Azar.

Taiwan Presidential Office via APBeijing has flashed its anger yet again over the Trump administration's ever-warmer ties with Taiwan. The latest condemnation from Beijing came Wednesday after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on her second inauguration. The praise prompted China's Ministry of Defense to issue a statement expressing "strong dissatisfaction" and "firm opposition" to Pompeo's remarks. Taiwan, the U.S., and "one-China"Taiwan split from China during the civil war that brought China's ruling Communist Party to power in 1949. Pompeo is also now the highest-ranking U.S. official to congratulate President Tsai, specifically, who was elected as Taiwan's first female commander-in-chief in 2016.

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen raises her hand during an inauguration ceremony at the Presidential office in Taipei, Taiwan Wednesday, May 20, 2020. President Tsai been inaugurated for a second term amid increasing pressure from China on the self-governing island democracy it claims as its own territory. Tsai represents the ruling Democratic Progressive Party which advocates Taiwans formal independence, something Beijing says it will use force to prevent. The rival Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan, 160 kilometers (100 miles) across the Taiwan Strait from Chinas east coast. ___This story has been corrected to show that Tsai was reelected early this year, not late last year.

But Taiwanese say they are inspired by the dedication of those who traveled halfway around the world to vote. This is as important to us as the American presidential election, if not more, said Ken Wu, secretary-general of the Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. This is as important to us as the American presidential election, if not more, said Ken Wu, secretary-general of the Taiwan Center Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)Like many other immigrants in Southern California, Taiwanese expatriates keep close tabs on events back home. of America, who traveled to Taiwan from across the U.S., rally for presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu.