US and Japan would ship Vaccine to Taiwan 

Japan’s government shipped 1.24 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan on June 4, 2021.  According to the report, Japan's government also has agreed in principle to provide excess vaccines to other countries or regions.   Taiwan is the first country selected by Japan to receive the doses.  Vietnam will receive the donation later.  In addition, Japan will donate 30 million doses of vaccines to the developing countries.   The sources said Taiwan has privately asked Japan for help on the supply of vaccines and the Japanese government agreed, considering it as a show of gratitude for Taiwan's assistance to Japan in 2011, when a strong quake hit northeastern Japan, according to the report.  Even though, Taiwan contacted Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca last year regarding the purchase of vaccines.   However, the deliveries were delayed for different reasons.    Taiwan blamed Beijing's obstruction in Taiwan's attempts to buy the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from its German manufacturer.  It was very fortunate that Japan was willing to provide vaccines so soon.  As a matter of fact, the AstraZeneca vaccines, which shipped to Taiwan, are part of the stocks that are not included in Japan's public vaccination program.   Over the past several weeks, Taiwan's domestic COVID-19 infections have surged to more than thirteen thousands. The number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the country has risen to over four hundreds, according to Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) data.   The rapid spread of the virus was partially blamed on the low vaccination rate in Taiwan.  Taiwanese were grateful that Japan government offered a timely help.   In the mean time, The United States pledged to donate 750,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan.  The specific size of the pledge was confirmed during a brief visit to Taiwan by American senators Tammy Duckworth, Dan Sullivan and Christopher Coons.   Senator Duckworth made the announcement during her speech.  Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met American senators at Taipei’ Songshan Airport.