Mainland entities for vaccine aid to Taiwan

A Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday that two mainland entities had expressed their willingness to donate COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan to help the island cope with a spike in local infections.

"We support such efforts and will provide active assistance in this regard," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, who was responding to a media query on mainland vaccine assistance for the island.

The two entities are a Shanghai-based foundation for medicine and health development and a non-profit social organization in Jiangsu Province that promotes cross-Strait cultural exchange, according to the spokesperson.

She urged the Democratic Progressive Party authority in Taiwan to remove political obstacles for mainland vaccines.

Zhu said that by blocking access for mainland vaccines, the DPP has created the biggest political obstacle for Taiwanese compatriots to get over the impact caused by COVID-19.

Citing a recent poll, Zhu said that 85 percent of Taiwan compatriots are worried about their families getting infected, and nearly half of them are willing to be inoculated with qualified vaccines immediately, including mainland vaccines.

Zhu urged the DPP authority to keep in mind the lives and health of Taiwan compatriots, immediately stop political manipulation and remove political obstacles, to make sure that the majority of Taiwan people will have access of mainland vaccines as soon as possible.

Taiwan on Wednesday reported 633 new local COVID-19 infections and 11 deaths, with the total number of confirmed cases on the island reaching 6,091, including 46 deaths.