Heino Klinck’s visit to the island is in apparent response to concerns that Beijing is pressuring Taipei in the run-up to January’s elections
South China Morning Post
Date: 26 Nov, 2019
By: Lawrence Chung
The United States has sent a senior Pentagon official to Taiwan amid concerns that Beijing trying to influence the island’s presidential election in January
.Deputy assistant secretary of defence for East Asia Heino Klinck reportedly visited Taiwan last week in an apparent response to US concern about various efforts – including military attempts – by Beijing to intimidate the island ahead of the January 11 poll.
Klinck is the first senior American defence official to visit the island since Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979.
His trip is considered a major elevation in the unofficial but robust US-Taiwan relations, and is expected to infuriate Beijing, which has repeatedly warned Washington against high-level exchanges with Taipei. [FULL STORY]