Taiwan ready to help China in fight against new wave of COVID
2023.01.01 05:27
Taiwan ready to help China in fight against new wave of COVID
Budrigannews.com – On Sunday, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said that China would receive “necessary assistance” to deal with an increase in COVID-19 cases, but that Chinese military activities close to the island would not help peace and stability.
COVID-19 is spreading largely unchecked and likely infecting millions of people each day, according to some international health experts, as a result of China’s abrupt policy change last month. The world’s strictest pandemic regime of lockdowns and extensive testing is being dismantled.
In her customary message for the new year, which she delivered at the presidential office, Tsai said that everyone had seen an increase in cases in China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military pressure to prove that.
She stated, without providing additional details, “As long as there is a need, based on the position of humanitarian care, we are willing to provide the necessary assistance to help more people get out of the pandemic and have a healthy and safe new year.”
Taiwan and China have more than once fought over their individual measures to control the spread of Coronavirus.
After soaring domestic infections last year, China had criticized Taiwan for ineffective pandemic management. Taiwan, on the other hand, had accused China of not being transparent and of attempting to interfere with vaccine supplies to Taiwan, which Beijing has denied.
Tsai reiterated his call for dialogue with China and stated that a war would not be an option for resolving issues.
In his New Year’s address on Saturday evening, Chinese President Xi Jinping made only a brief mention of Taiwan. He said that people on either side of the Taiwan Strait “are members of one and the same family,” and he didn’t say that he wanted to control the island.
Tsai responded to reporters’ questions by stating that she had taken note of Xi’s “gentler” remarks.
“Be that as it may, I need to remind individuals – the tactical exercises of Individuals’ Freedom Armed force close to Taiwan are not in any way shape or form helpful for cross-waterway relations nor local harmony and strength,” she added.
The Defense Ministry of Taiwan reported shortly after Tsai’s speech that 12 Chinese military aircraft had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait in the past 24 hours, which had previously served as an unofficial buffer between the two sides.
After then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei in August, China staged war games near the island, and those military activities have continued.
Tsai has stated on numerous occasions that she wants to talk to China and make peace, but that Taiwan will defend itself in the event of an attack and that only its 23 million people can decide its future. China has refused to speak with Tsai because it believes she is a separatist.
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