The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a Aug. 5 press release announced that HHS Secretary Alex Azar will lead a delegation to Taiwan. “Taiwan has been a model of transparency and cooperation in global health during the COVID-19 pandemic and long before it,” Secretary Azar said in the press release, noting that he looks forward to conveying President Trump’s support for Taiwan’s global health leadership.”

Secretary Azar also said that the upcoming visit to Taiwan is an opportunity to deepen U.S.-Taiwan collaborations on public health, in particular as the U.S. and other countries are vying to secure and expand their access to vital suppliers of medical equipment.

Secretary Azar’s delegation will include American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman James Moriarty and Mitchell Wolfe, Chief Medical Officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While in Taiwan, Secretary Azar will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) as well as COVID-19 responders.

Sources close to the matter said that as early as a month ago, U.S. and Taiwan officials began discussions about Secretary Azar’s official visit to Taiwan with the hope of expanding U.S.-Taiwan collaborations on health care and in international organizations. In light of Taiwan’s relative success in containing the spread of COVID-19, Secretary Azar hopes to gain a closer understanding of the standards and protocols employed in Taiwan’s containment efforts.

Earlier, Secretary Azar on April 27 held a bilateral virtual meeting with MOHW Minister Chen Shih-chung. During the 30-minute call, Secretary Azar thanked Taiwan for providing face masks while reaffirming the continued support from the U.S. of expanding Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization.

[2020-08-05 / CNA]