Taipei July 23 (IANS) Former US Secretary of Defence Ash Carter arrived in Taiwan on Monday to address a security forum the island s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Ash Carter who served as Defence secretary under Barack Obama from 2015-2017 is due to deliver a speech to the Asia-Pacific Security Dialogue on Tuesday Efe quoted a MOFA statement as saying.
Carter s visit coincides with increasing cross-strait tensions over the disputed Diaoyu islands to which both Beijing and Taipei (as well as Japan) stake a sovereignty claim.
Taiwan s Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised Carter s visit saying it showed the US s strong support for the island nation.
During Carter s tenure in the Pentagon the US announced an arms deal with Taiwan worth $1.83 billion which included the sale of two frigates anti-tank missiles amphibious assault vehicles and other military equipment.

--IANS qd/bg