A U.S. official has made an unannounced trip to Taiwan, according to the island's foreign ministry, which disclosed this information on Sunday. While the ministry was tight-lipped about the details of the visit due to its private nature, it refuted claims that the CIA director was part of the delegation.

China, which considers Taiwan as part of its territory, reacted furiously to previous visits by U.S. officials, including Health Secretary Alex Azar in August and Undersecretary of State Keith Krach in September, both of which were met with Chinese military maneuvers near the island.

The Trump administration has intensified its support for Taiwan through increased arms sales, which has further alarmed China. Taiwan's Foreign Ministry stated that it often engages with the U.S. and expressed its welcome for the recent visit. However, it emphasized that, due to the confidential nature of the itinerary and mutual trust, no further comments could be made.

Separately, the ministry denied reports from Taiwanese media that CIA Chief Gina Haspel was visiting, confirming that she had no plans to travel to Taiwan. The U.S. embassy in Taipei did not provide any comment on the situation.

Taiwan's United Daily News reported the arrival of an unmarked private jet, purportedly a U.S. military aircraft, at Taipei's Songshan airport, with officials observed at the VIP terminal. Flight tracking data indicated a private flight from Hawaii landed shortly before the news outlet published its findings.

Despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations due to China's claims over Taiwan, the U.S. remains the island's most significant international ally and arms supplier. Recently, Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang announced that Andrew Wheeler, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is expected to visit Taiwan next month.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by William Maclean and Andrew Heavens)