Taiwan Says "No Need for Chinese COVID-19 Vaccines"... Vaccine Conflict Deepens Between Both Sides

Mainland Taiwan Residents Also Included in Vaccination Targets
Taiwan Government Protests... "Chinese Vaccines Are Not Safe"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] As the Chinese government announced that Taiwanese residents living in mainland China would also be included as priority recipients of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines, tensions between the two sides over vaccines have intensified, with the Taiwanese government protesting that safety is not guaranteed.

According to Taiwan's China Times and others on the 28th, Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of China, stated at a regular briefing the previous morning that "Chinese-made vaccines cannot be donated to Taiwan through private organizations such as the Red Cross." This is interpreted as a retaliatory measure against the Taiwanese government's declaration that it will not use Chinese-made vaccines.

Earlier, the Mainland Affairs Council, the agency responsible for mainland China affairs, stated the previous day that "the purchase and use of vaccines is a professional medical and health matter, and Chinese-made vaccines cannot be imported under current regulations, and the (Taiwan) government is not considering it at present." Spokesperson Zhu also explained, "The main reason is that officials of Taiwan's health authorities have repeatedly stated that they will not use Chinese-made vaccines, creating political obstacles." He further pointed out, "Some Taiwanese politicians reject Chinese-made vaccines with various excuses and lies, harming the lives and health of Taiwanese people for political gain."

The tension over Chinese-made vaccines between the two sides began on the 30th of last month when the Chinese government announced that Taiwanese people living in mainland China would be included as priority recipients of vaccines. The Chinese government stated that Taiwanese people, along with those in high-risk occupations, were included as priority recipients. Subsequently, Taiwan's health authorities started the debate by stating that Taiwanese people should not receive the vaccine due to distrust in the safety of Chinese vaccines. Earlier, Chen Shih-chung, Minister of Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare, raised doubts about the efficacy and safety of Chinese vaccines at the end of September last year and stated, "We will not choose Chinese-made vaccines."