US senators took a military aircraft to Taiwan. To Beijing, that is a major provocation
Taiwan is finally getting much-needed help from the United States to fight its spiraling coronavirus outbreak. But to Beijing, the offer is a major provocation that risks escalating both cross-strait and US-China relations.
A delegation of US senators visited Taiwan on Sunday morning local time to announce the donation of 750,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called the vaccines "timely rain" for the island, which has only vaccinated 3% of its population and on Saturday recorded its highest daily Covid death toll of 37 fatalities.
"It was critical to the United States that Taiwan be included in the first group to receive vaccines because we recognize your urgent need and we value this partnership," Sen. Tammy Duckworth said during the three-hour visit.
The donation is likely to draw the ire of Beijing, which has bridled at Taipei's apparent refusal to accept its offer of Chinese-made coronavirus vaccines. Taipei, on the other hand, has accused Beijing of blocking its efforts to purchase vaccines internationally, rather than trying to help.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-senators-took-a-military-aircraft-to-taiwan-to-beijing-that-is-a-major-provocation/ar-AAKMlv1
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