The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces the donation of 10 million masks for international humanitarian assistance to the United States, the European Union, European countries and allies
Release time: 2020-04-01
Source: European Department
2020/04/01
Press Release No. 082

In the face of Wuhan pneumonia raging around the world, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the first wave of international humanitarian assistance operations to the United States, the European Union, European countries with more severe epidemics, and our friendly countries. my country will donate 10 million masks to support the medical care of these countries with more severe epidemics. The epidemic prevention personnel demonstrated the consistent spirit of "Taiwan Can Help!" and called for the strengthening of international cooperation in epidemic prevention.

Taiwan’s deployment and experience in epidemic prevention have been widely recognized by the international community. As the epidemic continues to spread across countries and the number of deaths worldwide is rising, in addition to sharing Taiwan’s epidemic prevention practices and experience, the government has also received international expectations. I look forward to the voice of our assistance. Without affecting domestic preparations for epidemic prevention, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also ready to extend a helping hand to the international community. It will carry out the first wave of international humanitarian assistance operations to the United States, European countries with more severe epidemics, and our allies, including:

(1) Continue to provide 100,000 masks per week urgently needed by the United States under the Taiwan-US epidemic prevention cooperation framework, and donate another 2 million masks to help strengthen the protective measures of the first-line medical personnel in the United States;

(2) Taiwan and the European Union are partners in ideals and values, and the two sides are also working together to fight the epidemic. my country will donate a total of 7 million masks to the EU and member countries with more severe epidemics (including Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Czech Republic and Poland), the United Kingdom and Switzerland to assist the medical care and prevention of these European countries. Personnel to alleviate the large demand for epidemic prevention materials, and follow-up consultations with the EU or individual European countries to establish mutually beneficial epidemic prevention cooperation, such as establishing complementary supply chains for epidemic prevention materials and exchanging availability;

(3) In countries with diplomatic relations, many embassies have used local purchase of anti-epidemic materials to assist, including 1 million surgical masks purchased from abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also donate another 1 million Chinese-made masks. 84 sets of thermographic body temperature display devices and forehead thermometers are available to assist countries with diplomatic relations in responding to the epidemic. In the follow-up, we will assess and provide relevant substantial assistance for the development of individual friendly countries and the capabilities of our national defense materials to help the friendly countries overcome difficulties together.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that there are quite a few countries seeking support from our country, and they have proposed it very early, but the government has never agreed to it in order to ensure that domestic demand is safe. Now the number of masks provided to the domestic people has increased, the problem of overseas foreigners has also been solved, and the government has spared no effort. The first wave of assistance is also provided to the more affected countries to provide local medical and epidemic prevention personnel with more resources to fight the epidemic. In the future, my country will continue to evaluate the development of the epidemic and its own epidemic prevention capabilities, and plan for the next assistance, including new southbound countries.

The virus knows no borders. In the face of the new coronavirus raging around the world, Taiwan’s epidemic prevention efforts have been recognized by the international community, and Taiwan has the responsibility to stand on the front line of assisting countries in fighting the epidemic. The international community must strengthen cooperation in epidemic prevention to jointly cope with the severe challenges caused by the epidemic, seek global solutions, and help others is also helping oneself, so that "Taiwan Can Help!" is not just a slogan, but a concrete action.

In terms of strengthening international cooperation in epidemic prevention, we have also seen more progress recently, including the following areas:

• Anti-epidemic science and technology cooperation: The United States, the European Union, the Czech Republic and Canada have successively held talks or video conferences with my country’s Academia Sinica and top domestic vaccine companies to discuss the direction of cooperation on rapid screening, reagents and vaccines and other biotechnology research and development. And will continue to deepen mutual cooperation;

• Establish an epidemic prevention partnership: In addition to establishing an epidemic prevention cooperation structure with the United States, my country has also cooperated with Australia on epidemic prevention materials. Taiwan and the Czech Republic will also start cooperation in rapid screening, vaccine and drug research and development and production, and provide medical supplies and equipment. And so on to exchange, establish a multi-faceted epidemic prevention and medical cooperation framework.

• Cooperate with civil organizations and NGOs: For example, Chinese Catholic organizations are very concerned about the epidemic in Italy. Recently, they have collected goggles, medical protective caps, protective masks, tracheal tubes, and sputum extraction kits and other epidemic prevention materials, and transferred them to E University through the Holy See's embassy in Taiwan. Profit. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently cooperated with Chinese private enterprises to donate 25 respirators, protective masks, disinfection sprays, and respirator filters to hospitals across the Czech Republic that have been severely affected by the epidemic.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that in order to effectively implement humanitarian assistance operations to the international community, it will continue to maintain close contact with relevant ministries and committees, and continue to plan relevant assistance and cooperation programs carefully.

Taiwan has been isolated from the international medical and health system for many years. In the face of the Wuhan pneumonia attack, Taiwan had to fight alone and the process was difficult at the beginning of the fight against the epidemic. However, because of its advanced deployment and appropriate response, it has been recognized by many governments around the world. Taiwan is willing and more able to provide assistance, and can cooperate with the international community to prevent the epidemic under bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

Taiwan can help and Taiwan is helping! Taiwan should not be repeatedly excluded from the international public health system. my country once again calls on the WHO to fully include Taiwan in relevant meetings, mechanisms and activities, so that Taiwan and the international community can work together to tide over the difficulties. Taiwan has taken practical actions to prove to the international community that the world needs Taiwan, and Taiwan will not be absent!