The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta (TECO in Atlanta) and Tennessee State Government worked together to procure the donation of 100,000 surgical masks to the Volunteer State earlier this month. This donation was shipped directly from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Tennessee Emergency Management in mid-May to support frontline medical personnel.
Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee sent a letter to President Tsai Ing-wen, in which he thanked Taiwan for its generous donation of medical masks. Governor Lee expressed that “Tennesseans are grateful to the people of Taiwan for helping in our efforts to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. Your kindness will allow countless Tennesseans the opportunity to work safely in providing care to those affected by this virus.” He looks forward to welcoming representatives from Taiwan to the Tennessee State Capitol later this year when conditions allow. Governor Lee also tweeted his appreciation for Taiwan’s generous donation.
U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) retweeted Governor Lee’s expression of gratitude on Twitter. Senator Blackburn thanked President Tsai, saying these masks will help protect Tennesseans during this pandemic, in addition to praising President Tsai’s leadership. Congressman Chuck Fleishmann(R-TN) and Mark Green(R-TN) also retweeted Governor Lee’s sentiments. Congressman Green pointed out the contrast between the CCP hoarding masks and PPE, blocking PPE exports, and selling faulty equipment to poorer countries, opposed to Taiwan donating 100,000 masks to Tennessee’s healthcare workers.
Lt. Governor and Speaker of the Senate Randy McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton also sent a letter to President Tsai Ing-wen, in which they thanked Taiwan for its donation of medical equipment. The letter said, “We are in this together” and emphasized how essential masks are when physical interaction is unavoidable. Lt. Governor McNally expressed that he greatly values the friendship of the Taiwanese people.
Acting Director-General Daniel Hung of TECO in Atlanta expressed that Taiwan recognizes the drastic impact of COVID-19 in Tennessee, which led to this donation to assist healthcare workers. He also admired the global partnership and longstanding friendship of the U.S. and Taiwan. As President Tsai Ing-wen stated in her interview with Time Magazine, “COVID-19 is a humanitarian disaster that requires the joint efforts of all countries.” Hence, Taiwan is pleased to fulfill President Tsai’s promise of helping its international partners who are in urgent need of supplies.
Taiwan has already donated over 16 million masks to heavily impacted countries and regions since April. This donation was a part of Taiwan’s third wave of humanitarian assistance and global partnership, which included more than 7 million masks globally, 2.28 million of which went to the United States and 100,000 to Tennessee specifically. In total, Taiwan has donated 5.28 million masks to the United States.
Taiwan is happy to offer support in this time of need to its sister-state of Tennessee, which it has enjoyed a friendly alliance with for four decades, and to the whole of the United States, especially given President Trump’s recent signing of the TAIPEI Act on March 26th. Taiwan would like to thank the U.S. Congress, Senate, and Executive Office for its support of this act, which encourages Taiwan’s international participation. Taiwan believes this is just the beginning of a prosperous bilateral partnership, in which the United States and Taiwan can work together to solve both current and future crises.
Taiwan’s actions in containing this pandemic have been widely recognized and lauded internationally. Years of exclusion from the WHO system combined with invaluable lessons learned from the 2003 SARS pandemic prompted Taiwan to take effective preventive response measures against COVID-19. Taiwan is willing and capable of utilizing our strengths in manufacturing, medicine, and technology to work alongside the world. In any way that Taiwan can help, Taiwan is helping.
Through its humanitarian efforts in fighting COVID-19, Taiwan demonstrates the compassion and determination of its government and people, reaffirming its sincere commitment to taking part in international affairs. Epidemic prevention and containment transcends national borders. Countries cannot fight COVID-19 alone. A strong defense against the disease can only be built through close collaboration for mutual benefit. As the international community endeavors to strengthen mechanisms to combat COVID-19, Taiwan stands willing and able to collaborate with other countries, in order to give valuable assistance in overcoming the pandemic.
Taiwan, though not a member of WHO, as a global citizen, has fulfilled its responsibilities and abided by WHO’s regulations in notification of confirmed COVID-19 cases. If it is indeed WHO’s mission to ensure the highest attainable standard of health for every human being, then WHO needs Taiwan just as Taiwan needs WHO. On May 6, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for supporting Taiwan's World Health Organization (WHO) participation: “I call upon all nations, including those in Europe, to support Taiwan’s participation as an observer at the World Health Assembly and in other relevant United Nations venues,” as well as calling upon “WHO Director-General Tedros to invite Taiwan to observe this month's WHA, as he has the power to do so, as his predecessor had done on multiple occasions.’’
We urge WHO to acknowledge Taiwan’s longstanding contributions to the international community in the areas of public health, disease prevention, and the human right to health, and to include Taiwan in WHO and its meetings, mechanisms, and activities.
