US deputy assistant commerce secretary’s visit likely to further provoke Beijing

South Asia Morning Post 
Date: 22 March, 2018
By: Lawrence Chung

The United States has sent another senior official to Taiwan on Thursday, the second such visit since Washington infuriated Beijing by passing a law promoting ties with the self-ruled island.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing Ian Steff is visiting after US President Donald Trump last week signed into law the Taiwan Travel Act, which allows high-level officials to meet their Taiwanese counterparts and vice versa.

His trip follows that of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Alex Wong.

“While this is not Steff’s first trip to Taiwan, this is his inaugural visit in his official capacity as deputy assistant secretary,” the American Institute in Taiwan, which represents US interests in the absence of formal ties, said in a statement.    [FULL  STORY]