China's Interference Canceled Taiwan's Early BNT Vaccine Order, Report Claims

Taiwan had secured an order for 5 million doses of the BioNTech (BNT) vaccine in early 2021, but the deal was abruptly canceled due to interference from China. This interference prevented Taiwan from directly acquiring the vaccine from Germany, a move that has since been confirmed by German lawmakers.

The initial agreement was approved by then-Premier Su Tseng-chang on January 6, 2021, with details for the press release already prepared. However, by January 15, BioNTech cited the need to assess delivery schedules and subsequently became unreachable, leaving the order in limbo. The exclusive distribution rights for BNT vaccines in the Greater China region, including Taiwan, were held by Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical, requiring approval from the Chinese government for any sales to Taiwan.

This situation led to public criticism, with some falsely accusing then-Central Epidemic Command Center commander Chen Shih-chung of obstructing vaccine procurement. However, subsequent events have vindicated Chen, demonstrating that he had actually advised Tzu Chi Foundation against being defrauded. The controversy also involved accusations of smearing domestic vaccine development.

Later, a significant effort by Taiwanese entrepreneur Terry Gou, founder of Foxconn, along with contributions from TSMC and the Tzu Chi Foundation, led to the joint purchase of 15 million BNT vaccine doses. This private procurement was facilitated after the Taiwanese government provided vaccine liability exemptions, allowing the purchase to proceed under a special project framework.