In a press release from Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, the government announced its “third wave of international humanitarian assistance in the wake of COVID-19.”
Diplomatic allies to benefit
The announcement that over seven million surgical face masks will be donated listed the “United States, European Union and its member states, diplomatic allies, New Southbound Policy partner countries, and African and Middle Eastern nations” as the main areas to benefit from the latest efforts by Taiwan to help those worst affected by the pandemic.
The latest donation follows on from similar efforts at humanitarian assistance by Taiwan in early April.
Help from the man on the street
In a significant difference from the previous mask donations, however, the latest reach out by Taiwan will also include 3.93 million, of the total 7.07 million masks to be sent overseas donated by regular Taiwanese citizens as part of a “Taiwan can help, Health for all” campaign.
How many, and to where?
The latest donations will be broken down as follows:
U.S. Government / hardest hit states – 2.28 million masks
European Union and member nations – 1.3 million masks
Diplomatic allies of Taiwan – 1.09 million masks
New Southbound Policy partner nations – 1.8 million masks
The remaining 600,000 masks will be distributed in African countries, and the Middle East as well as to frontline medical personnel helping Syrian refugees.
