Taiwan is donating 10 million protective face masks to countries seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The masks will be divided amongst the United States, 11 European countries and 15 diplomatic allies.
The US will receive 2 million; 7 million will go to European nations, including Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Another 1 million will go to 15 diplomatic allies.
President Tsai of Taiwan explained that due to a marked increase in the production of face masks, Taiwan now has the ability to assist other countries in need.
Since early February, the country has increased the daily surgical mask output by more than four times, from 3.2 million to 13 million a day, according to an announcement issued by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is in talks with the US to donate 100,000 surgical face masks per week in exchange for raw materials that can be made into 300,000 medical protective suits as part of a bilateral agreement to fight the pandemic.
In response to the announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen thanked Taiwan on her Twitter account, calling the donation a “gesture of solidarity” that shows the two sides are “stronger together” in the fight against coronavirus.
