Taiwan DPP's claim of mainland thwarting vaccine purchase unfounded: spokesperson

BEIJING -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Thursday denounced Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority for suggesting the mainland spoiled the island's purchase of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The accusation was an unfounded claim that spoke volumes about some DPP politicians' inherent quality of forsaking morality for political purposes, said Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Ma commented on a question about Taiwan media reports saying the mainland obstructed the island's 5-million vaccine doses deal with German pharmaceutical company BioNTech.

Ma noted that, in March 2020, BioNTech allied with the pharmaceutical arm of the mainland's Fosun Group for the development and exclusive distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

The allegation was not convincing at all, as it raised unanswered questions such as why Taiwan deliberately made a deal with BioNTech instead of Fosun Pharma, he said.

Ma added that the relevant authorities in Taiwan had reportedly forbidden approach attempts by Taiwan companies interested in buying vaccines from Fosun Pharma.

The DPP authority owed a clear explanation to the Taiwan people about the real reasons behind the failed deal, said Ma.

Ma urged the DPP authority to stop spinning the rumor mill and sacrificing people's well-being for its hidden political agendas.