In an introduction on Tsai, U.S. Republican Senator Ted Cruz praised the Taiwanese leader as "a signal lamp casting out China's looming shadow, conveying to the world that Taiwan will not acquiesce to the Chinese Communist Party."
Tsai said Taiwanese people should continue Lee's endeavors, allowing the will of the people to reshape Taiwan, further defining Taiwan's identity and deepening and bolstering democracy and freedom.
American Under Secretary of State Keith Krach and his delegation arrived on a commercial charter flight at Songshan Airport, which is also a military airbase, at around 5:20 p.m.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and Minister without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐鳳) were jointly named by Wired magazine as this year's Wired25 honorees for their efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
"While the rest of the world has been distracted in responding to one of the most significant crises in recent history," there have been an increased number of threats to free and democratic societies, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said, citing Hong Kong as an example.
Azar said the U.S. has expressed its admiration for Taiwan's democratic success in tangible ways, such as signing legislation to strengthen the bilateral partnership and opening a new office for the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in 2018.
Alex Azar, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will visit Taiwan in the coming days, the first trip to Taiwan by a Cabinet-level U.S. official in six years, the department said Tuesday.
Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), who guided Taiwan through a rapid and peaceful transition to democracy while serving as Taiwan's president from 1988 to 2000, has died at the age of 97.
