TAIPEI: Taiwan Vice President William Lai used his final day in the United States to repeat an accusation that China blocked the island from obtaining COVID-19 vaccines last year, and to thank a U.S. lawmaker for her role in donating the inoculations.
Last May, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen accused China of blocking a deal with Germany's BioNTech SE for COVID-19 vaccines, after Beijing offered the shots to the island via a Chinese company just as Taiwan was dealing with a rise in domestic infections.
Beijing has angrily denied trying to stop Taiwan getting vaccines, and also offered Chinese-developed shots which the island rejected, citing safety concerns. China claims Taiwan as its own territory.
Less than two weeks after Tsai's comments, Senator Tammy Duckworth, visiting Taipei with two other U.S. lawmakers, said the United States would donate https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/three-us-senators-arrive-taiwan-meet-president-2021-06-05 750,000 vaccine doses to Taiwan.
Speaking to the Illinois Democrat during a stop over in San Francisco while on the way back to Taiwan from Honduras, Lai offered his thanks.
Lai said he was "especially grateful to her last year when Taiwan was unable to obtain vaccines due to the China factor", Taiwan's presidential office said, citing the de facto U.S. ambassador to Washington Hsiao Bi-khim, who is accompanying Lai.
"She not only actively advocated that the Biden administration should provide vaccines to Taiwan, but also personally went to Taiwan to announce that the United States would donate Taiwan vaccines."
China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taiwan eventually began receiving the BioNTech vaccines, jointly developed with Pfizer Inc, in September.
But that was only after Taiwan's government allowed major Apple Inc supplier Foxconn, as well as its high-profile billionaire founder, Terry Gou, along with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd and a Taiwanese Buddhist group to negotiate on its behalf for the doses.
While Lai, a possible presidential candidate in 2024, was ostensibly abroad for the new Honduran president's inauguration, he made good use of his time to engage in diplomacy with the United States, Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier.
He briefly talked to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris while in Honduras, drawing Chinese anger, and on Friday had a virtual meeting with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
On Saturday Lai also spoke to three former members of the Trump administration, including former national security adviser H.R. McMaster and Matt Pottinger, Trump's then-senior Asia adviser, Taiwan's presidential office said.
That hour-long discussion focussed on military issues including "the proper preparations Taiwan" should have to maintain security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the statement said.
China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
Reuters
Sun Jan 30 2022
![Taiwan VP, in US, repeats accusation China blocked vaccine access Taiwan VP, in US, repeats accusation China blocked vaccine access](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-01/61643534295_Taiwan.jpg)
Taiwan's Vice President William Lai arrives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Honduras' President-elect Xiomara Castro in the Coronel Enrique Soto Cano Air military base in Comayagua, Honduras January 26, 2022. - REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
![Gol sulung Mbappe bantu Real Madrid juarai Piala Super UEFA Gol sulung Mbappe bantu Real Madrid juarai Piala Super UEFA](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723679998_KylianMbappe.jpg)
Gol sulung Mbappe bantu Real Madrid juarai Piala Super UEFA
"Ia adalah malam yang hebat. Ia adalah detik yang hebat untuk saya. Dan kami memenangi kejuaraan, yang penting - di Madrid anda perlu sentiasa menang."
![“I love you Am, bahagialah di syurga firdausi” - Aufahanie “I love you Am, bahagialah di syurga firdausi” - Aufahanie](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723679258_AufahanieNidzaAfh.jpg)
“I love you Am, bahagialah di syurga firdausi” - Aufahanie
Air mata Aufahanie sudah kering meratapi pemergian abang tercinta, Nidza Afham yang ditemui meninggal dunia selepas dilaporkan hilang.
Konsert jelajah: Taylor Swift teruskan konsert London selepas ancaman keganasan
Taylor Swift akan meneruskan persembahan di London pada Khamis, meneruskan jelajah konsert terbesar dunia di tengah-tengah kebimbangan keselamatan susulan cubaan serangan Daesh memaksa pembatalan tarikh konsert di Vienna, minggu lalu.
Taliban rai ulang tahun ketiga pemerintahan Afghanistan
Kerajaan Taliban semalam meraikan ulang tahun ketiga pemerintahannya di Afghanistan dengan perarakan tentera yang memberi penghormatan kepada bom buatan sendiri yang digunakan ketika peperangan, pesawat pejuang dan perbarisan pasukan keselamatan.
![Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723677980_MounirNasraoui.jpg)
Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan
Mounir Nasraoui, bapa kepada Lamine Yamal, ditikam pada lewat Rabu di tempat letak kereta di bandar Mataro di timur laut Sepanyol.
Warga AS dihukum penjara 15 hari di Rusia kerana bersikap samseng
Mahkamah Moscow menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 15 hari kepada warga Amerika Syarikat Joseph Tater pada Rabu kerana bersikap samseng.
Putin anggap rundingan dengan Ukraine tidak berguna
Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin menyifatkan, tindakan Ukraine yang menyerang orang awam memperlihatkan keengganan Kyiv menyelesaikan konflik peperangan dua negara dengan cara perdamaian.
Fadillah tiba di Peru, hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof tiba Lima, Peru bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Tenaga (EMM) di bawah Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia Pasifik (APEC) yang berlangsung selama dua hari.
BNM denda Maybank RM4.32 juta, CIMB RM760,000 berikutan gangguan perkhidmatan berpanjangan
Bank Negara Malaysia mengenakan Penalti Monetari Pentadbiran (AMP) sebanyak RM4.32 juta ke atas Malayan Banking Bhd dan Maybank Islamic Bhd serta RM760,000 ke atas CIMB Bank Bhd dan CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd susulan gangguan beberapa perkhidmatan perbankan yang berpanjangan.
![Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723674988_pineapplesweetsme.jpg)
Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine
Auckland City Mission secara tidak sengaja telah mengagihkan gula-gula bercampur Methamphetamine yang boleh membawa maut melalui pek makanan.
![Taiwan keluarkan amaran darat dan laut untuk Taufan Gaemi Taiwan keluarkan amaran darat dan laut untuk Taufan Gaemi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721732184_typhoonGaemi.jpg)
Taiwan keluarkan amaran darat dan laut untuk Taufan Gaemi
Agensi Meteorologi Taiwan telah mengeluarkan amaran laut dan darat untuk Taufan Gaemi, yang dijangka mendarat di Daerah Yilan antara lewat malam Rabu dan awal pagi Khamis.
![Taiwan beri amaran tiada laluan mudah buat Malaysia Taiwan beri amaran tiada laluan mudah buat Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/71718013294_TBGaryWhite.jpg)
Taiwan beri amaran tiada laluan mudah buat Malaysia
Taiwan memberi amaran bahawa mereka tidak akan memberikan laluan mudah kepada Malaysia yang sangat memerlukan kemenangan besar pada perlawanan akhir Kumpulan D.
![FAM puas hati keadaan padang SNBJ menjelang aksi Harimau Malaya, Taiwan FAM puas hati keadaan padang SNBJ menjelang aksi Harimau Malaya, Taiwan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/61717061539_SNBJ.jpg)
FAM puas hati keadaan padang SNBJ menjelang aksi Harimau Malaya, Taiwan
Permukaan padang SNBJ berada pada tahap terbaik menjelang perlawanan terakhir Kumpulan D pusingan kedua Kelayakan Piala Dunia 2026/ Piala Asia 2027 antara Malaysia dan Taiwan.
![Gempa bumi dengan magnitud 5.8 gegarkan timur Taiwan Gempa bumi dengan magnitud 5.8 gegarkan timur Taiwan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/61712503337_TBindonesia.jpg)
Gempa bumi dengan magnitud 5.8 gegarkan timur Taiwan
Gempa bumi dengan magnitud 5.8 melanda pesisir pantai Daerah Hualien di timur Taiwan pada pukul 3.45 petang Jumaat.
![Syed Saddiq mohon pelepasan sementara pasport untuk ke Singapura dan Taiwan Syed Saddiq mohon pelepasan sementara pasport untuk ke Singapura dan Taiwan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-01/71706503931_TBSYEDSADDIQjpg.jpg)
Syed Saddiq mohon pelepasan sementara pasport untuk ke Singapura dan Taiwan
Ahli Parlimen Muar Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman telah memfailkan permohonan bagi pelepasan sementara pasportnya untuk membolehkan beliau ke Singapura dan Taiwan.
![Piala Thomas: Taiwan lakar kejutan singkir Denmark untuk mara ke separuh akhir Piala Thomas: Taiwan lakar kejutan singkir Denmark untuk mara ke separuh akhir](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/71714776779_tbThomasCup.jpg)
Piala Thomas: Taiwan lakar kejutan singkir Denmark untuk mara ke separuh akhir
Kejayaan sensasi itu menyaksikan Taiwan berdepan Indonesia dan Malaysia menentang China di pentas separuh akhir pada jam 5 petang hari ini.
![Piala Uber: Malaysia tewas kepada Taiwan Piala Uber: Malaysia tewas kepada Taiwan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/81714284628_WongLingChing.jpg)
Piala Uber: Malaysia tewas kepada Taiwan
Malaysia memulakan kempen Kumpulan B Piala Uber 2024 mereka dengan langkah kiri apabila tewas 1-4 kepada Taiwan, di sini hari ini.
![Gempa bumi sederhana dikesan di Taiwan Gempa bumi sederhana dikesan di Taiwan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/41713838055_tbGempabumi.jpg)
Gempa bumi sederhana dikesan di Taiwan
Gempa bumi dengan kedalaman 10 kilometer (km) itu berlaku pada jarak 71 km tenggara dari Taichung, Taiwan.
![Kejohanan Olahraga Tiger Klasik: Azeem rekod masa terpantas 2024 Kejohanan Olahraga Tiger Klasik: Azeem rekod masa terpantas 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-09/61696084474_SukanAsiaHangzhou.jpg)
Kejohanan Olahraga Tiger Klasik: Azeem rekod masa terpantas 2024
Muhammad Azeem merekodkan prestasi terbaiknya musim ini apabila merakamkan 10.31 saat dalam acara 100m Kejohanan Olahraga Tiger Klasik, di Taiwan.
![Gempa bumi di Taiwan diunjur beri kesan minimum kepada industri semikonduktor Malaysia Gempa bumi di Taiwan diunjur beri kesan minimum kepada industri semikonduktor Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/51712279285_earthquakejpg.jpg)
Gempa bumi di Taiwan diunjur beri kesan minimum kepada industri semikonduktor Malaysia
Antara bangunan di Hualien yang runtuh akibat gempa bumi yang melanda timur Taiwan. FOTO CNA / AFP