Focus Taiwan
Date: 08/11/2020
By: Chen Yun-yu and Joseph Yeh

Taipei, Aug. 11 (CNA) Visiting United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar on Tuesday admitted that he "accidentally mispronounced" President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) surname during their Monday meeting but said no offense had been intended.

"In my remarks, I referred to President Tsai five times, in one of those instances, I accidentally mispronounced. I feel certain President Tsai took no offense because of course no offense was intended," Azar told CNA during an exclusive interview Tuesday.

The incident occurred during their meeting at the Presidential Office, in the highest level visit to Taiwan since the U.S. switched diplomatic recognition to China in 1979.

In his opening statement, Azar mispronounced the name of President Tsai and instead said something closer to "tsee," which sounds very much like the surname of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).    [FULL  STORY]