Taiwan gets first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after long delay

Taiwan has received its first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after a prolonged purchasing process that gave rise to a political blame game with China

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan received its first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines Thursday after a prolonged purchasing process that gave rise to a political blame game with China. Taiwan had been unable to buy the vaccine itself directly from BioNTech, the German company that had partnered with U.S.-based Pfizer to develop the mRNA vaccine. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen earlier accused China of blocking Taiwan from getting the Pfizer vaccine through BioNTech, saying that they had all but signed the contracts when the deal was delayed indefinitely. China has denied any interference. Eventually, two private companies, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. and Hon Hai Precision Electronics, as well as a Buddhist organization Tzu Chi, stepped in to buy the vaccines and donate them to Taiwan.