Source: Global Times
[Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Lifei] Taiwan's "Minister of Health and Welfare" Xue Ruiyuan defended the Democratic Progressive Party's Taipei mayoral candidate Chen Shizhong, claiming that Chen Shizhong had blocked many " vaccine brokers" and was therefore attacked. This argument has triggered a lot of criticism on the island.
According to Taiwan's "China Times" report on the 21st, Xue Ruiyuan apologized to Chen Shizhong on the 20th and said that at that time, the epidemic situation in Taiwan was much lighter than overseas, and the vaccine companies negotiating to purchase were not willing to ship the vaccine at the first time. However, countries such as the United States and Japan donated vaccines one after another. On this occasion, a broker came to negotiate through the island's industrial and commercial enterprises and religious groups, saying that he had the goods in hand, and asked the Taiwan Epidemic Prevention Command Center to pay 30% of the purchase price as a deposit. "After hearing this, we asked, where did the vaccine come from? Is it authorized by the original manufacturer?" Xue Ruiyuan claimed that Chen Shizhong blocked many "vaccine scammers" during that period, with each transaction amounting to hundreds of millions or tens of millions of dollars. These people may have a grudge and began to attack him through the media. "This is the reason why Chen Shizhong blocked vaccines." Xue Ruiyuan also said that if Chen Shizhong had not stopped the "vaccine scammers", the deposits paid would probably have gone missing.
At the end of May last year, as the epidemic spread on the island, the International Buddha's Light Association, Hon Hai founder Terry Gou's Yongling Foundation, and others expressed their willingness to donate vaccines to the Taiwan Epidemic Prevention Command Center. The business community also called on the authorities to allow companies to purchase vaccines by themselves, provide vaccinations for employees and members, or donate to medical institutions. But in the end, only Tzu Chi, Yongling and TSMC completed the donation of 15 million doses of vaccine.
In response to Xue Ruiyuan's "broker theory", the "Buddha's Light Association International China Association" responded that members of the American Buddha's Light Association knew the American pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson and wanted to donate vaccines to Taiwan at their own expense, but later Johnson & Johnson was only willing to contact the authorities, so the donation was hopeless. "We all donate voluntarily and it is impossible to buy vaccines through brokers." Lin Bofeng, chairman of the Sansan Association, said that business groups want to donate money to the authorities to buy vaccines, not to make money. The authorities should admit when they do something wrong, and just do the right thing in the future, and don't be stubborn.
Kuomintang Taipei mayoral candidate Chiang Wanan blasted that this was the biggest lie fabricated by Xue Ruiyuan in this election campaign, highlighting the depravity of the Democratic Progressive Party. Taipei City Councilor Wang Hongwei 21 criticized Taiwan's self-produced high-end vaccine for being shady, and Chen Shizhong's strong escort, but it ended up with international non-certification. He treated Taiwanese people as idiots and wasted so much time, manpower and property. "Now Xue Ruiyuan still dares to be a thief and shout to catch the thief."
html On the 21st, when a reporter asked about "vaccine scammers", Xue Ruiyuan first laughed five times, and then criticized Lanying as "too naive, I don't want to answer." Chen Shizhong argued on the 21st that it was not the business community that wanted to deceive the authorities, but the brokers who wanted to deceive. "Some people were taken advantage of without realizing it, and they were blocked by the government."Li Dewei, secretary-general of the Kuomintang caucus, said that those involved in the vaccine procurement issue so far are green camp people. When Xue Ruiyuan goes to the "Legislative Yuan" for questioning this week, he will be asked to make it clear whose financial path is blocked, who is the broker, and how much money is blocked? Say it generously, otherwise it will shift the focus. Former "legislator" of the People's Party Cai Biru said that Chen Shizhong's high hatred value is because the people hate him for his poor epidemic prevention. He wants masks but not masks, wants rapid screening but not rapid screening, and wants vaccines but not vaccines.
"China Times" commented on the 21st that Xue Ruiyuan's remarks were obviously intended to change the direction and shift the focus, but the logic did not make sense. Since he knows that there are vaccine brokers who want to defraud the competent authorities, he should explain it frankly to the outside world and take the initiative to send the data to the investigation department instead of throwing dirty water on industrial, commercial and religious groups by insinuations. Not only is he derelict in his duties, but he also confirms the accusation that the "Ministry of Health and Welfare" is Chen Shizhong's campaign headquarters. The article said that Chen Shizhong’s hatred in Taipei is high because during his tenure as the epidemic prevention commander, he led to the “3+11” epidemic prevention regulations, the inability of mainland children to return to Taiwan, and controversies such as vaccines and black-hearted rapid screening. What does these have to do with brokers’ involvement in vaccine procurement? Which broker has the ability to incite so many people to hate Chen Shizhong? It is obvious that Xue Ruiyuan's rhetoric is an election strategy, and in Xue's heart, Chen Shizhong's election is more important than national health and the truth about vaccine procurement.
