Aided by TSMC and Foxconn, BioNTech vaccines are finally arriving in Taiwan

TAOYUAN, Taiwan, Sept. 2 (Reuters) – BioNTech SE’s first batch of COVID-19 vaccine (22UAy.DE) arrived in Taiwan on Thursday, helped by the participation of two of the world’s largest technology companies after months of diplomatic dispute.

Taiwan has blamed China, which claims the island as its own territory, for canceling an original order from the German firm this year, allegations that Beijing has angrily denied.

The Taiwanese government then allowed Apple Inc.’s main supplier (AAPL.O) Foxconn – formally Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. (2317.TW) – as well as its founding billionaire, Terry Gou, along with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (2330 .TW), to negotiate doses on its behalf.

A $ 350 million deal for 10 million shots was signed in July, which will be given to the government for distribution.

A cargo flight from Luxembourg carrying the vaccines landed at Taiwan’s main international airport in Taoyuan, outside Taipei, at 7am (23.00 GMT), and was found on the tarmac by the Minister of Defense. Cheers Chen Shih-chung and Sophie Chang, the TSMC Charity Foundation president and cousin of Gou.

Chen spoke briefly to thank the companies and a Taiwanese Buddhist group that has also ordered 5 million doses for their efforts to get the vaccine.

“They’ve worked hard and overcome all the difficulties,” he said.

Chen did not mention Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (600196.SS), which has the right to sell the shots on behalf of BioNTech in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and whose unit signed the agreement for the doses of the island.

A large label next to one of the boxes with the names BioNTech, Fosun and the vaccine, with simplified Chinese characters, which are not used in Taiwan, was removed before arrival.

Fosun had posted a photo on his Weibo account of the warehouse box, with the tag, before loading it onto the plane.

In another dramatic moment, China announced the exact date of arrival of the vaccines on Wednesday, shortly before Chen began his daily briefing.

The approximately 900,000 doses of the vaccine, developed in conjunction with Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), are expected to begin administration later this month.

Taiwan is receiving the shots earlier than expected, as a delay in regulatory approval of the shot for use in mainland China provided a surplus available for the island. The vaccine is approved for use in Hong Kong and Macao, run by China.

Although a relatively small domestic coronavirus outbreak is well controlled in Taiwan, only about 5% of its 23.5 million people are fully vaccinated, even though the government has millions of on-demand vaccines.

To date, more than 10 million doses of vaccine have arrived in Taiwan, distributed between Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) and AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L), while the administration of local developer Medigen Vaccine Biologics has also begun. Corp (6547.TWO).

Ann Wang Reports; Written by Ben Blanchard and Stephen Coates. Edited by Gerry Doyle

Our standards: the principles of trust of Thomson Reuters.