In 2020, the balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait began a gradual but profound shift in China’s favor. That August, then-Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar became the highest-ranking U.S. cabinet official to visit Taiwan in more than four decades. responded by carrying out large-scale military exercises around the self-governing island, sending aircraft over the median line of the Taiwan Strait for only the third time in more than 20 years. Alarm bells should be ringing, but neither Taiwan nor the United States have taken meaningful action to deter China, and Taiwan’s response has been inconsistent and lacks transparency, which may further embolden Beijing. A more robust approach is needed to deter China from escalating the situation.

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Persons: Alex Azar Organizations: Health, Human, Liberation Army Locations: Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, China, Taipei, Washington, United States, Beijing