Ah, high level trip that could stir things up with China.

Taiwan is a democratic, self ruled island, but Beijing claims it as its own territory.

Two sources told Reuters that the officer was Rear Admiral Michael Studeman, a two star officer who oversees military intelligence in the Asia Pacific region.

The US is Taiwan's biggest international backer, although it has no formal diplomatic ties with the island.

Support has only increased under the presidency of Donald Trump, including a boost in arms sales.

But this latest visit could spark a furious response from China.

In August, Beijing scrambled fighter jets near the island.

When U.

S Health Secretary Alex is our visited the capital city, Taipei, and it repeated the maneuver for a high level U.

S State Department visit a month later.

It's still not clear whether Admiral students visit will be seen as an escalation by Beijing, but he could be one of the highest ranking U.

S military officers known to have visited Taiwan in recent years.

One analyst said that if confirmed, he knew of quote no precedent for such a visit, but a former defense official told Reuters that Trump's Pentagon has quietly been sending one star officers to Taiwan on a routine basis.