Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung holds a news conference about Taiwan's efforts to get into the World Health Organization in Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan says request to drop word 'country' preceded BioNTech vaccine deal collapse

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2021-05-27 16:30:03

Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung holds a news conference about Taiwan's efforts to get into the World Health Organization in Taipei, Taiwan, May 15, 2020. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Germany's BioNTech asked Taiwan to remove the word "country" from theirplanned joint announcement on a COVID-19 vaccine sale to the island, its health minister said, as he outlined the collapse of the deal which Taipei blames on China.

Taiwan and China are engaged in an escalating war of words after Beijing separately offered shots to the Chinese-claimed island via Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd (600196.SS), which has a contract to sell them in Greater China.

Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told a daily news briefing the government had signed and sent back a "final contract" agreed with BioNTech (22UAy.DE) after months of negotiations, and the two sides were on the verge of issuing a press release on Jan. 8.

But four hours later "BioNTech suddenly sent a letter, saying they strongly recommend us to change the word 'our country' in the Chinese version of the press release," Chen said.

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