Published since 2019 by the Fair Winds Foundation and Association of Foreign Relations, Taiwan Weekly provides in-depth report and analysis of the major issues facing Taiwan.

Taiwan's Medigen Successfully Unblinds Phase 2 Vaccine Clinical Trials, EUA Review as Early as July

Taiwan's Medigen Successfully Unblinds Phase 2 Vaccine Clinical Trials, EUA Review as Early as July

Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp., a biopharmaceutical company based in Taiwan, unblinded the phase 2 clinical trials of its coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

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With President's Interference, How Can Scientists Review Vaccines Impartially?

With President's Interference, How Can Scientists Review Vaccines Impartially?

With Taiwan mired in a serious shortage of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen is forcefully promoting domestically developed vaccines and even purposely halting the import of foreign vaccines.

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Besides Vaccine Shortage, Taiwan Faces More Dangerous Pandemic Complications

Besides Vaccine Shortage, Taiwan Faces More Dangerous Pandemic Complications

The highly anticipated unblinding of the Phase II clinical trial of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine produced by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corporation (MV)  was successful on June 10.

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Is Taiwan's Democracy Also Critically Ill?

Is Taiwan's Democracy Also Critically Ill?

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has worsened; public grievances are boiling over; and President Tsai Ing-wen's approval ratings continue to falter.

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This Week in Taiwan 0606-0612

This Week in Taiwan 0606-0612

June 6: The rainy season and typhoon Caiyun brought abundant rainfall to Taiwan. Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua, who heads the Central Drought Disaster Response Center, announced that the mechanism in Miaoli, Taichung, and northern Changhua where water would be supplied for five days but suspended for two days per week would be lifted immediately. The red-light water-use restriction this time lasted some 61 days, breaking the previous historical record of 54 days in Taipei in 2002. It is expected that current water conditions will be stable until the end of July.

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Japan, U.S. Vaccines Aid Should Make Tsai Administration Ashamed

Japan, U.S. Vaccines Aid Should Make Tsai Administration Ashamed

The 1.24 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines donated by Japan arrived in Taiwan June 4, while the United States committed to donate 7 million doses of vaccine to Asian countries including Taiwan.

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Foreign Policy ≠ Vaccine Policy

Foreign Policy ≠ Vaccine Policy

One outcome from Taiwan's failure to date to timely acquire a sufficient quantity of vaccines is that what in reality should be a commercial relationship between the manufacturers and Taiwan’s government, has unnecessarily become a foreign policy matter that certain Taiwan politicians and other individuals in Taiwan are seeking to exploit.

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Wave of U.S. Travel for Vaccines Highlights Taiwan's Government Dysfunction

Wave of U.S. Travel for Vaccines Highlights Taiwan's Government Dysfunction

Recently, the Taoyuan International Airport has once again become lively after a long period of time.

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This Week in Taiwan 0530-0606

This Week in Taiwan 0530-0606

May 31: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic situation in Taiwan remains challenging. The government has not procured vaccines effectively, while efforts by companies and private groups to purchase vaccines themselves persistently face bureaucratic obstruction. Critics suspect that the government is betting unreasonably on the development of domestic vaccines and question that government officials are trying to manipulate the stock prices of certain pharmaceutical companies. President Tsai Ing-wen personally held a press conference in which she responded that the government has conducted an internal investigation, and no politically appointed officials have problems related to stock trading. Specific allegations will be investigated strictly in accordance with the law. However, the efforts behind experts developing vaccines baseless should not be undermined by baseless claims.

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China's Cognitive Warfare a Self-Staged Act? Prosecution to Promptly Investigate

China's Cognitive Warfare a Self-Staged Act? Prosecution to Promptly Investigate

The pro-government writer Lin Wei-feng was caught feigning to be pro-China, posting messages on PTT, a popular online bulletin board system, mocking Taiwan's epidemic prevention policy, and attacking the epidemic prevention platform created by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, thereby creating a fake impression that China is waging a cognitive war against Taiwan.

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