The US has confirmed senior diplomat William Christensen as its new de facto ambassador to Taiwan, replacing the outgoing head of mission Kin Moy.
Mr Christenson will take over this summer as the director of the American Institute in Taiwan, or AIT, the de facto embassy announced on Wednesday. He has previously served as AIT deputy director and director of the state department’s Taiwan coordination office. He has also served three assignments at the US embassy in Beijing in a 29-year career with the US foreign service.
He takes the job amid heightened Chinese pressure on Taiwan and stern opposition in Beijing to the building US support for the democratic, self-ruled island.