Japan to supply Corona vaccine to Taiwan despite Chinese threat

Taipei – China had threatened that no country should try to interfere in the internal Chinese matters by taking advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic and should not provide any medical assistance to Taiwan. Without paying any heed to the Chinese threat, Japan supplied more than 1.2 million Corona vaccine doses to Taiwan. Japanese Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, announced that this cooperation underlines the importance of collaboration and friendship with Taiwan.

While the second wave of Coronavirus was rampaging the world, the number of patients was rising in Taiwan too. Therefore, Taiwan prioritised the vaccination of its population to control the pandemic. Taiwan also made an appeal to partner and allied countries to supply vaccines. China, infuriated by the Japanese response to the Taiwanese request, threatened Japan.

China has made significant contributions to the international disease prevention campaign. Wang Wenbin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, warned that, therefore, the international community should refrain from deriving political gains from the pandemic and interfering in internal Chinese matters. Wenbin also warned that Japan, which is struggling to complete the vaccination of its population, should not supply vaccines to Taiwan. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen accused China of creating obstructions to stop Taiwan from getting the Corona vaccine. President Tsai Ing-wen also made a vitriolic criticism that China is interfering with breaking the cooperation between Taiwan and Germany. Whereas Japan supplied the vaccines to Taiwan, completely disregarding the Chinese threat.

1.24 million Coronavirus vaccines landed on the Taoyuan international airport in Taiwan. Last month, Taiwan had only 700,000 doses of the Coronavirus vaccine. Taiwan has signed agreements with AstraZeneca, Moderna and Covax. But China is using its influence to ensure that Taiwan does not receive the vaccines.