Taiwan’s Presidential Office has come out to clarify recent comments by President Tsai Ing-wen about efforts to secure AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from Thailand. The comments in question came in a radio interview on Friday. The Presidential Office said Sunday that Tsai did not say that Thailand was blocking exports of the vaccine.
In the interview, President Tsai said the government’s procurement of vaccines is facing delays due to unforeseen challenges in global vaccine production. She said Taiwan ordered ten million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, but delivery has been pushed back because of an outbreak in Thailand, where some of the AstraZeneca vaccines are made. Tsai said Thailand is now making local residents their top priority for locally-produced vaccines.
The Thai government responded, saying that it is not blocking exports of the vaccine.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Xavier Chang says that President Tsai did not say the Thai government was blocking vaccine exports. He says Tsai was referring to media reports that the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines produced in Thailand will go to local hospitals and clinics. Chang says Taiwan’s government hopes vaccine producers can meet their targets to satisfy global demand for vaccines.