Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp (高端疫苗), the manufacturer of the only domestically made COVID-19 vaccine to have received emergency use authorization in Taiwan, recently announced its out-licensing agreement with the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) hosted by the WHO and the UN-backed Medicine Patent Pool.
This is the first time that a vaccine manufacturer will use C-TAP to offer its patent and know-how for a COVID-19 vaccine, which should have cleared Medigen’s name after the slander and criticisms hurled at it by opposition parties over the past two years. As it is now election campaign season, opposition parties have focused their fire on criticizing the governing party, yet none of them have offered any constructive policies of their own. Their efforts of casting aspersions at Medigen should have taught them that such behavior would only get them so far in terms of garnering votes. Instead, they should turn to introducing policies for the following issues, as they are pressing challenges that await Taiwan’s next president:
The first issue is green technology. Under the influence of climate change and oil price fluctuations, developing renewable energy is a global trend. Global enterprises have joined the RE100 — a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100 percent renewable electricity — and vowed to run their entire operations on 100 percent renewable energy in stages by 2050.
As renewable energy plays an important part in Taiwan’s future development, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, has joined the initiative. As a member of the global community, Taiwan’s next president has the responsibility of promoting this initiative.
The second issue is the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, which encompasses eight categories: green energy, digital, water environment, railway, urban and rural, friendly childcare, food safety and human resources. As the program is akin to the 10 Major Construction Projects, there is no doubt that this program could help lay cornerstones for development and turbocharge construction innovation over the next few decades.
In terms of railway infrastructure, the government plans to build tourism-oriented rail systems for central and southern Taiwan, such as a railway connecting Hengchun Township (恆春) and Neishi (內獅) in Pingtung County. As there is no railway system in Hengchun yet, the Taiwan Railway will pass over Hengchun and go toward Taitung upon reaching Fonggang (楓港). Hengchun residents have waited decades for this 37.9km rail system and it is finally around the corner.
The railway will also help relieve traffic congestion on the Pinge Highway for holiday travelers heading for Henchun on the weekends. As the planned route runs alongside mountain topography, passengers can also appreciate the gorgeous mountains and the sea as they ride on the express.
The third is national defense. As a navy reserve lieutenant commander, I have witnessed a massive improvement in Taiwan’s national defense, whether it be in independent defense capabilities; domestic plane and ship production; the Han Kuang exercises with their live-fire drills; the procurement of military arms, etc, which are a sharp contrast when Taiwan was trying for appeasement with China by blocking arms deals; reducing conscription times or through cutting down on live-fire military drills by playing sound effects for verisimilitude.
This shift in national defense policy has deterred China from making a move. To build upon this good work, we need a president who would continue strengthening our self-defense capabilities so that Taiwan can protect its national security and interests.
The fourth is diplomacy and cross-strait relations. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan have never been subordinate to each other and Taiwan has never been ruled by the PRC. Therefore, cross-strait issues have never been domestic affairs, but an international issue.
In July, the US House of Representatives passed the Taiwan International Solidarity Act to counter China’s vicious distortion of UN Resolution 2758 in its attempts to hinder Taiwan’s participation in the international community.
Following the US’ example, the British parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has also officially referred to Taiwan as an already “independent country, under the name Republic of China (ROC).” Taiwan, has a permanent population, a defined territory, a government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states — it only lacks greater international recognition.
Aside from domestic issues, international recognition and support plays a critical part in Taiwan’s pursuit of normalization. The next president would have to come up with measures for Taiwan to be able to circumvent China and participate in the global community.
The Medigen vaccine incident should serve as a reminder to opposition parties that policies will always prevail over mudslinging.
Arthur Chang is a navy reserve lieutenant commander.
Translated by Rita Wang
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