TAIPEI: Terry Gou, the billionaire founding father of main Apple Inc provider Foxconn, has requested BioNTech SE to order 30 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for Taiwan, saying he had acquired a “superb” response.
Taiwan’s quest to entry the vaccine, collectively developed with Pfizer Inc, has dragged on for months, hampered by accusations from Taipei of political interference from Beijing, which claims the island as Chinese language territory. Beijing has denied the allegations.
Taiwan’s authorities subsequently allowed Gou, Foxconn – formally Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd – in addition to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, to barter on its behalf for the shot. A $350 million deal for 10 million photographs was inked final month, which shall be donated to the federal government for distribution.
In a prolonged submit on his Facebook web page late on Sunday, Gou mentioned he “had been promised” that 8 million to 9 million doses would arrive this 12 months, with the primary photographs arriving in September.
He added that he had requested BioNTech to order 30 million doses for Taiwan for subsequent 12 months, and “at current have acquired an excellent response”.
BioNTech didn’t reply to a Reuters request for remark.
The BioNTech vaccine drama has transfixed Taiwan and dominated headlines. Whereas a comparatively small home coronavirus outbreak is nicely underneath management, fewer than 5% of its 23.5 million individuals are totally vaccinated.
Taiwan’s authorities has ordered thousands and thousands of vaccines itself, from Moderna Inc, AstraZeneca PLC and home developer Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp.
Taiwan’s Cupboard mentioned final month the federal government had ordered an extra 36 million doses from Moderna.
A Taiwanese Buddhist group has additionally ordered 5 million doses from BioNTech.
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