China protests top US official's Taipei visit, jets enter Taiwan's airspace

China, which considers the estranged island of Taiwan as part of its mainland, vociferously objects to any high-level foreign dignitaries meeting Taiwanese leaders

China on Monday cried foul and lodged a stern diplomatic protest with the US over the visit of Health Service Secretary Alex Azar to Taipei, the first high-ranking American official to visit the self-ruled island in over four decades, while Chinese air force jets intruded into Taiwan's airspace in an apparent show of force.

Azar, the highest-ranking Cabinet member to visit Taiwan since the US switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei in 1979, kicked off his three-day visit by meeting Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

China, which considers the estranged island of Taiwan as part of its mainland, vociferously objects