U.S. signals in no rush to send COVID-19 shots to Taiwan
TAIPEI (Reuters) - A top US diplomat in Taiwan on Wednesday indicated that Washington is in no hurry to send COVID-19 vaccines to the island, noting that its infection numbers are comparatively low, although he said the issue But the conversation was on.
After months of relative safety, Taiwan is struggling with an increase in domestic COVID-19 cases, but has vaccinated only 1% of its more than 23 million people.
Taiwan's government says millions more vaccines are on the way, and last week the Health Minister spoke to his American counterpart that President Joe Biden said he would have at least 20 million more COVID-19 abroad by the end of June. The vaccine dose will be sent. .
The outgoing de facto US ambassador in Taipei, Brent Christenson, told reporters that Taiwan's management of the epidemic has affected everyone globally.
"We are very confident in Taiwan's health authorities' ability to prevent the latest outbreak," he said.
"I will also point out that many of Taiwan's neighbors in the region are also experiencing outbreaks & Taiwan's infection numbers are still the lowest in the world," Christenson said.
Criteria for the issuance of American vaccines were still being developed, but included levels of infection, health system capacity, & vaccination levels, he said.
"We know that Taiwan's own vaccines will be available in the coming months & I can assure everyone that we are engaging with Taiwan at all levels."
Like most countries, the United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, but is its strongest supporter and a major source of weapons on the world stage.
China has offered Taiwanese vaccines, but the government has rejected the idea, stating that Beijing has not given enough information about its shots and that Taiwan's access to vaccines internationally in any case Have tried to stop.
Taiwan has ordered more than 20 million vaccines from AstraZeneca plc & Modern Inc. as well as developing its own shots. So far, more than 700,000 AstraZeneca doses have arrived.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office said Taiwan is using "many different excuses" to prevent its people from receiving vaccines from China.
"This is the biggest political hurdle for Taiwanese compatriots to get themselves out of the epidemic as soon as possible," spokesman Zhu Fanglian told reporters in Beijing.
Referring to China, Christensen said that threats against Taiwan had recently been felt consistently, & in reference to Beijing's decision in February to ban imports from the island of fruits, to keep on their desks Removed a pineapple.
"I think we can all recall a recent example of Taiwan demonstrating its resolve & unity against bullying. Bullying quickly backfired."
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Li; Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)