The United States government has donated 1.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan.
The vaccines arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Monday on a plane provided for the occasion by China Airlines, Taiwan’s national carrier.
The foreign ministry said on Sunday that Taiwan’s envoy to the US, Hsiao Bi-khim, personally supervised the transfer of doses.
The ministry says that with this latest batch, the total number of doses donated by the United States has reached 4 million. The US donated 2.5 million doses to Taiwan in June, when Taiwan was fighting its worst outbreak of COVID-19.
The ministry says the latest donation demonstrates the United States’ support and respect for Taiwan.
Presidential Office spokesperson Xavier Chang says the vaccine shipment shows the strength of friendship between Taiwan and the United States. He says Washington was quick to help in June, and is now providing great help again.
Seventy percent of Taiwan’s population has received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with just over 30% fully vaccinated. Chang says the latest vaccine donation will be a great boon to Taiwan’s efforts to bridge that gap and protect society from the risks of a serious outbreak.