US sends 2.5 million COVID vaccines to Taiwan

Delivery more than triples Washington’s previous allocation of shots for the island, amid simmering US-China tensions.

The United States has announced that 2.5 million COVID vaccine doses were on their way to Taiwan, more than tripling Washington’s previous allocation of shots for the island, which has faced increasing political and military pressure from China. Washington, competing with Beijing to deepen geopolitical clout through so-called “vaccine diplomacy”, had initially promised to donate 750,000 doses to Taiwan but increased that number as President Joe Biden’s administration advances its pledge to send 80 million US-made shots around the world.