BioNTech on Wednesday said that it plans to provide its COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan after Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that in December last year the German company at the last minute halted a deal for the nation to to buy 5 million doses.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chen said that officials were on the verge of announcing the deal when BioNTech pulled the plug, although he added that it was still pending and had not been torn up.
While he did not say that China was to blame, Chen implied there was a political dimension to the decision.
Photo: CNA
“BioNTech is committed to help bring an end to the pandemic for people across the world and we intend to supply Taiwan with our vaccine as part of this global commitment,” BioNTech told reporters in an e-mailed statement. “Discussions are ongoing and BioNTech will provide an update.”
Chen yesterday welcomed the comment, saying that Taiwan has long maintained commercial interactions with its trusted trade partner Germany.
Berlin at the beginning of the pandemic showed its dedication to health equity by offering supplies to the UK and other countries, a sentiment that was expressed in BioNTech’s statement, said Chen, who also heads the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Chen expressed his thanks and appreciation for the firm on behalf of the center, along with his belief that they would overcome difficulties and sign a contract to help end the pandemic together.
Asked if the firm’s change of heart had anything to do with a “chips for vaccines” deal, Chen said that the issues are separate.
The Taiwan Institute of Economic Research and other groups have suggested that Taiwan obtain vaccines in return for automotive chips, which are in short supply on the global market.
BioNTech extended a hand of its own initiative, Chen said, adding that the government would maintain communications with the firm.
However, Taipei would not have any direct contact with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group (上海復星醫藥集團), the company that BioNTech has partnered with to develop and commercialize its vaccine using mRNA technology in Taiwan and China, including Hong Kong and Macau, he said.
US-based firm Pfizer handles development and distribution for the rest of the world.
Asked how there is still a chance to sign a contract if the deal involves Shanghai Fosun, Chen said that Taiwan has already signed the deal with BioNTech and all that remains is for Berlin to give its approval.
Meanwhile, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that Taiwan would have enough vaccine doses through domestic and global channels.
Tsai made the remarks yesterday at a reception for National Biotechnology and Medical Care Quality Award winners at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
She congratulated the recipients of the “Oscars of biotechnology,” which added a new category this year to honor pandemic first responders.
After commending the recipients for their accomplishments, Tsai shared her optimism about vaccine acquisition.
“Vaccines for which the government has already signed contracts are expected to be available in the second quarter,” Tsai said. “At that time, priority will be granted to those most in need, including frontline healthcare workers.”
Aside from purchased vaccines, she was also upbeat about domestically developed options, as two companies’ vaccines have already entered the second stage of clinical trials.
According to reports, the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines acquired through the global COVAX distribution scheme is to arrive as soon as next week for distribution starting next month.
Chen did not deny the reports, saying that he was looking forward to the arrival of the doses, but reiterated that the schedule is confidential.
Taipei on Friday rejected Hanoi’s characterization of its recent live-fire drill near Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) as “illegal,” saying that Taiwan’s claim to the small island in the South China Sea was “unquestionable.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a statement that the comments made by its Vietnamese counterpart about the military’s routine live-fire drills near Itu Aba on Tuesday were “unacceptable.” Earlier on Friday, Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang called Taiwan’s military activity “a serious violation of Vietnam’s territorial sovereignty,” saying it had caused tensions and complicated the situation in the region. Hang
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday said it is more than doubling its US investment to US$40 billion as it plans to make 3-nanometer chips in 2026 at a second Arizona fab, adding to the chipmaker’s original plan of building a US$12 billion fab to make 4-nanometer chips in 2024. The investment would mark the largest foreign direct investment in Arizona’s history and one of the largest foreign direct investments in the history of the US, the world’s largest contract chipmaker said in a statement yesterday. In addition to the more than 10,000 construction workers at the site, TSMC’s two fabs
ENHANCEMENT: The sale would update Taiwan’s Patriot missile system to improve its missile defensive capability and deter threats, the US Department of State said The US has proposed selling Taiwan as many as 100 of its most advanced Patriot air-defense missiles along with radar and support equipment in a deal valued at US$882 million, according to a US Department of State notice obtained by Bloomberg News. The proposal was made under the provisions of a 2010 sale and so technically is not new. It is classified as an enhancement to the earlier deal, with a potential total value of US$2.81 billion. The upgrade would not change the overall value of that deal, which infuriated Beijing at the time and led it to halt planned military exchanges
‘UNITED FRONT’ TOOL? There are already many accounts on Douyin impersonating government agencies, and even Premier Su Tseng-chang, DPP Legislator Mark Ho said Lawmakers and a number of experts yesterday called on the government to ban or heavily regulate Douyin (抖音) over concerns that the short-video platform could be used by China to spread disinformation. Owned by ByteDance Ltd (字節跳動), Douyin and its international version, TikTok, are a subject of concern in democracies worldwide because of potential manipulation by the Chinese government. FBI Director Chris Wray on Friday said that Beijing might have the ability to control TikTok’s recommendation algorithm, “which allows them to manipulate content, and if they want to, to use it for influence operations.” TikTok could also be used to collect personal data
RSS