TSMC and Foxconn Founder Terry Guo announced on Monday an agreement to buy 10 million doses of BioNTech vaccines from the company’s distributor in Shanghai, Fosun Pharma. The good news comes as Taiwan faces a major vaccine shortage.
Premier Su Tseng-chang responded to criticism by opposition parties that the government was unable to make the deal because of political ideology. The government had said that it had tried to buy BioNTech vaccines from Germany but China interfered with the purchase.
Premier Su Tseng-chang said that the government has been trying all types of ways including cooperation with the private sector to overcome obstacles in buying vaccines. He said the vaccines are set to come and they meet the government’s requirements of being sent and labeled from the original manufacturer directly to Taiwan. The premier said the public should be positive and enjoy the result of many parties’ efforts that enabled this deal to happen.
There have also been reports that Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation is close to signing a deal for another 5 million doses of BioNTech vaccines.