In unofficial capacity, Pompeo urges US to recognize Taiwan

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for the U.S. to give diplomatic recognition to Taiwan. He’s on an unofficial visit to the self-ruled island China claims as its own territory. The U.S stepped up official exchanges with Taiwan under the Trump administration, but Pompeo did not publicly advocate for formal diplomatic recognition of Taiwan while in office. The U.S. is Taiwan’s largest unofficial ally but switched diplomatic relations to Communist China in 1979. Pompeo was invited to speak by a private think tank in Taipei. He said diplomatic recognition of Taiwan was long overdue and that Taiwan’s existence as an independent nation was already reality.