Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu says China is attempting to turn the democratic self-ruled island into another Hong Kong.
Wu made the comment Tuesday as he met with senior U.S. official Alex Azar in Taipei.
He said the people of Taiwan are facing increasing difficulties as China continues to pressure them into accepting its political conditions.
He added that they are "all too familiar with dealing with threats, be it military, diplomatic or the threats of epidemics."
Health Secretary Azar is the highest-level official from the United States to visit the island since it switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979.
The trip comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over a wide range of trade, military and security issues, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.
Azar praised Taiwan for its democratic values and success in battling COVID-19, with less than 500 confirmed cases and seven deaths, in stark contrast to his criticisms of China's handling of the pandemic and its authoritarian system.
Despite threats from Beijing, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen continues to reject any suggestions of "one China, two systems" for the island, which she views as "already independent."
<Photo: Yonhap News>
