Taiwan chides China for using vaccines as political tool
13 May 2021, 20:37 GMT+10
Taipei [Taiwan], May 13 (ANI): Taiwan has condemned the Chinese government for using vaccines as a political tool to pressure the Tapei s diplomatic allies to switch allegiance after Honduras said it is mulling the possibility of opening a trade office in China in a bid to acquire COVID-19 vaccines.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said his government was willing to do whatever was necessary to help its people during the global pandemic, Focus Taiwan reported. Honduras does not have formal relations with China.
If necessary, the Honduran government would open a trade office in China because it is in the best interest of the Honduran people, he had said.
Taiwan chides China for using COVID-19 vaccines as political tool ANI | Updated: May 13, 2021 15:39 IST
Taipei [Taiwan], May 13 (ANI): Taiwan has condemned the Chinese government for using vaccines as a political tool to pressure the Tapei s diplomatic allies to switch allegiance after Honduras said it is mulling the possibility of opening a trade office in China in a bid to acquire COVID-19 vaccines.
In a televised speech on Tuesday, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez said his government was willing to do whatever was necessary to help its people during the global pandemic, Focus Taiwan reported. Honduras does not have formal relations with China.
COVID-19: Wu discusses shots with Guatemalan counterpart
By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday met virtually with Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs Pedro Brolo to discuss Central America’s issues as China pressures Taiwan’s allies in the region over COVID-19 vaccines.
Brolo said he was planning to visit Taiwan in the middle of this month, but had to postpone the trip due to the COVID-19 pandemic and his duty to handle vaccines in his country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Wu thanked the ally for repeatedly supporting Taiwan’s WHO bid, the ministry said, adding that the ministers also exchanged opinions over the pandemic situation in Guatemala as well as regional issues in Central America.
The St Kitts Nevis Observer
Ted HessonMatt Spetalnick
Reuters- The Biden administration plans to release by the end of June a list of corrupt Central American officials who may be subject to sanctions, a U.S. special envoy told Reuters, as Washington seeks to cut back on a root cause of increased migration to the U.S.-Mexican border.
Ricardo Zuniga, President Joe Biden’s point man for Central America’s Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, also said the administration was considering further sanctions against officials in the region for alleged graft under the Global Magnitsky Act.