Covid-19 vaccines: Beijing blocked Taiwan’s deal with BioNTech, Tsai Ing-wen says

‘Taiwan was close to sealing the deal with the German plant, but because of China’s intervention, we still can’t sign the contract,’ island’s president tells ruling party

German firm says it does not comment on ‘potential or ongoing discussions to provide vaccine doses’

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Taiwan is struggling to source vaccines as it battles a spike in coronavirus infections as it. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:30am, 27 May 2021Updated: 7:40am, 27 May 2021

Beijing was instrumental in preventing Taiwan signing a deal to buy Covid-19 vaccines from German firm BioNTech, the island’s President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday.

“Taiwan was close to sealing the deal with the German plant, but because of China’s intervention, we still can’t sign the contract,” she told a meeting of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Taipei had previously “smoothly” ordered shots from AstraZeneca in Britain and Moderna in the United States, she said.

This is the first time Taiwan has directly accused Beijing of blocking a deal with BioNTech.

When asked to comment on the matter, the German firm said: “We generally do not comment on potential or ongoing discussions to provide vaccine doses.”

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group signed a deal with BioNTech last year to supply its mRNA vaccines to mainland China, and in March offered to supply some of those doses to Taiwan. Under the deal, Fosun was given the exclusive rights to develop and commercialise the vaccines in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.