A recent article in the New York Times says that the United States’ donation of 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Taiwan could heighten US-China tensions.
The recent shipment of vaccines arrived in Taiwan on Sunday. It came after three US senators visited Taiwan on June 6 and announced a donation of 750,000 vaccine doses. US officials ultimately decided to more than triple that amount for Sunday’s shipment.
The New York Times writes that the large donation of vaccines could add tension to US-China relations. In the article, a senior US official says that Taiwan faces unfair challenges when trying to acquire vaccines. He says that’s why the United States’ donation is all the more important.
The recent shipment from the United States comes after Japan sent Taiwan 1.24 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses in early June.
Chinese officials have voiced strong opposition to the donation by Japan, and to the US senators’ recent visit to Taiwan.