Taiwan is a 'powerful affirmation of democracy,' Blinken tells Davos

DAVOS, Switzerland -- Taiwan is "a powerful affirmation of democracy," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the World Economic Forum's annual conference here Wednesday, saying the self-governing island plays a crucial role as a "remarkable contributor to the global commons."

Blinken spoke during a session with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. The conversation kicked off with the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and then shifted to Asia.