Taiwan will extend its coronavirus curbs by two more weeks until July 12, as the situation has yet to reach a point where they can be relaxed, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday.

Taiwan has been dealing with&nbsp;a rise in domestic infections&nbsp;since May after months of relative safety, leading the government to limit personal gatherings and close entertainment venues. Those restrictions&nbsp;were meant to end on June 28.

But Mr Chen told reporters they would be extended.

"Although the overall trend has improved during this period, it has not met our requirements. So for two more weeks, everyone will endure and work together, hoping to reach a more stable level after July 12," he said.

Mr Chen announced 104 new domestic infections, up from up from 78 on Tuesday.

Although Taiwan's numbers remain comparatively low, authorities are reporting community transmission and clusters of infections.

Taiwan has logged 14,260 cases since the pandemic began, including 599 deaths.

Taiwan will extend its coronavirus curbs by two more weeks until July 12, as the situation has yet to reach a point where they can be relaxed, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday.

Taiwan will extend its coronavirus curbs by two more weeks until July 12, as the situation has yet to reach a point where they can be relaxed, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said on Wednesday. Taiwan has been dealing with a rise in domestic infections since May after months of relative safety, leading the government to limit personal gatherings and close entertainment venues. Those restrictions were meant to end on June 28. But Mr Chen told reporters they would be extended. "Although the overall trend has improved during this period, it has not met our requirements. So for two more weeks, everyone will endure and work together, hoping to reach a more stable level after July 12," he said. Mr Chen announced 104 new domestic infections, up from up from 78 on Tuesday. Although Taiwan's numbers remain comparatively low, authorities are reporting community transmission and clusters of infections. Taiwan has logged 14,260 cases since the pandemic began, including 599 deaths.

Taiwan to extend COVID-19 curbs into next month

Consider for a moment, in this time of anguish and loss and death, of mass unemployment and flattened national economies, the Twilight Zone alternate reality that is Taiwan.

For months and months, life on the island has been, in a word, normal — spookily so. Weddings have been held worry-free. People have packed pro ballgames, attended cello concerts and thronged night markets. Taiwan’s population is larger than Florida’s, but its COVID-19 death toll can be counted on two hands.

It is the kind of off-the-charts success against the virus that has created a sinking feeling in the stomachs of many residents: How much longer can the island’s good fortune last?

For Chen Shih-chung, Taiwan’s health minister and head of its epidemic command center, success is all the more reason not to waver on the bedrock of the government’s coronavirus strategy. The island has been sealed off to most visitors since March. People who are allowed to enter still have to quarantine under tight watch for two weeks, including Taiwanese citizens.

The high walls have kept the island from being deluged with infections, but they risk isolating Taiwan economically and politically if the rest of the world relaxes its defenses as vaccinations get underway.

The government is not likely to budge on those policies until there are vaccines that are a proven, lasting weapon against the virus, Chen said in an interview. Taiwan will not be like one of those places, he suggested, that eased lockdowns under public pressure only to have to tighten them again later.

“I believe there will be another wave,” he said. “Because everybody thinks, ‘I’ve gotten the vaccine,' or, 'I’m getting the vaccine next week. I’ve waited so long, I can be free now, right?’”

Once there is more evidence about whether the current vaccines offer enduring immunity, “only then can we really start to relax a bit,” he said.

As vaccinations begin around the globe, the question of how and when to ease COVID border controls will also confront other places, such as Australia and New Zealand, that have used their geographic insularity as a primary defense against the pandemic.

Taiwan has already held fast to its entry restrictions and quarantines for much longer than many governments could without facing public backlash. The island’s economy has slowed along with the world’s during the pandemic, but it continues to grow at a decent clip.

Japan and South Korea, two other Asian democracies praised for their virus responses, are now grappling with large flare-ups of new infections.

But as successful and tireless as Taiwan’s health officials have been, the island has also benefited from sheer good luck, said C. Jason Wang, an associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.

With the case count surging globally and a more contagious variant of the virus circulating in many places, greater numbers of infected people are bound to arrive at Taiwan’s borders, Wang said, which means it is only a matter of time before more positive cases slip past the government’s defenses.

Taiwan on Dec. 30 confirmed its first case involving the new variant, in a person who had entered from Britain, tested positive and been hospitalized. In response, the government further tightened its entry bans and quarantine rules.

“It’s remarkable that Taiwan has held the line for so long,” Wang said. But even if the island vaccinates its population by the middle of 2021, “then you’ve still got six months to go,” he said. “It’s really difficult to keep this up for another six months.”

For Chen, 67, 2020 was a year of tough calls, even as he has pulled off a virus response that would be the envy of any public health official on the planet.

In a recent opinion poll, Chen, a dentist by training, received a higher approval rating than any other top official, including his boss, President Tsai Ing-wen. He is being talked about as a potential candidate for mayor of Taipei, the island’s capital. His cool, unflappable mien at the government’s epidemic news briefings has won him an odd kind of celebrity. It is not every middle-aged health minister who is photographed clad in Gucci for the local edition of GQ.

Yet in Chen’s telling, his decisions since the outbreak started have upset certain people at almost every turn. Like when he barred medical workers from leaving the island in February. Or when he announced in March that the island was forbidding entry by nearly all nonresidents.

Many of the Taiwanese government’s ideas about dealing with the virus came from “feeling around in the dark,” Chen said.

For instance, when a cluster of infections appeared on the Diamond Princess cruise liner in February, officials in Japan, where the boat had docked, allowed many passengers who tested negative to walk free. Some of them later tested positive. Taiwan took note.

“By then it became very clear to us,” Chen said. “After you test, you have to quarantine both the positives and the negatives.”

Taiwan’s emphasis on strict quarantines has helped contain infections without overwhelming its hospital system or incurring huge costs for testing. But some experts are now urging the government to test more widely, particularly at the border, to catch more cases that do not show symptoms.

“We came up with many of our policies when there were a few million infections around the world,” said Chan Chang-chuan, a professor at the College of Public Health at National Taiwan University. “But now there are tens of millions, and we’re heading toward a hundred million. It’s a whole different stage.”

Chan said he believed Taiwan should begin testing everyone at the border, not just quarantining them. It has already started doing this for people arriving from Britain, where the more transmissible variant of the coronavirus has been found to be circulating.

Taiwan’s position has been that carriers of the virus who are asymptomatic after 14 days of isolation are not likely to be very infectious. Chen said he had no doubt that there had been some asymptomatic cases that never made it onto the government’s radar.

“But if those infections are not causing problems, then should I spend a lot of energy trying to find those people?” he said. “Or should I focus my efforts on infections that are already causing problems?”

It is unclear how much of a gamble this approach has involved. A study in The Lancet in October found that out of 14,765 people whose blood was sampled at a Taipei hospital, a lower share tested positive for coronavirus antibodies than in other countries. Yet the share could still imply a much higher number of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infections than is reflected in Taiwan’s official case numbers, the study’s authors wrote.

“Basically, it’s a trade-off between how much money you want to spend and how much risk you want to take,” said Wang, the Stanford professor. As the global case count swells and more infections are likely to leak into Taiwan, “then it’s a matter of how much leakage you want in your house.”

Dale Fisher, a professor in infectious diseases at the National University of Singapore, contrasted Taiwan’s tight border policies with Singapore’s more “nimble” approach. The city-state lifted restrictions on travelers from Taiwan, but Taiwan did not reciprocate.

“We think that even if a traveler brought it in, we think there’s a good chance it wouldn’t spread anyway,” Fisher said. “If you’ve got no faith in your system, then that would make you keep the borders harder.”

The real test for Taiwan, he said, is if the vaccines do not end up offering long-lasting immunity and the world needs to live with COVID longer. How well would Taiwan’s people bear being sealed off from the wider world for another year? Another five years?

“This is why we’d say close your borders if you just want to buy time to get yourself organized,” Fisher said. “But don’t think of it as a strategy.”

Consider for a moment, in this time of anguish and loss and death, of mass unemployment and flattened national economies, the Twilight Zone alternate reality that is Taiwan.

Consider for a moment, in this time of anguish and loss and death, of mass unemployment and flattened national economies, the Twilight Zone alternate reality that is Taiwan. For months and months, life on the island has been, in a word, normal — spookily so. Weddings have been held worry-free. People have packed pro ballgames, attended cello concerts and thronged night markets. Taiwan’s population is larger than Florida’s, but its COVID-19 death toll can be counted on two hands. It is the kind of off-the-charts success against the virus that has created a sinking feeling in the stomachs of many residents: How much longer can the island’s good fortune last? For Chen Shih-chung, Taiwan’s health minister and head of its epidemic command center, success is all the more reason not to waver on the bedrock of the government’s coronavirus strategy. The island has been sealed off to most visitors since March. People who are allowed to enter still have to quarantine under tight watch for two weeks, including Taiwanese citizens. The high walls have kept the island from being deluged with infections, but they risk isolating Taiwan economically and politically if the rest of the world relaxes its defenses as vaccinations get underway. The government is not likely to budge on those policies until there are vaccines that are a proven, lasting weapon against the virus, Chen said in an interview. Taiwan will not be like one of those places, he suggested, that eased lockdowns under public pressure only to have to tighten them again later. “I believe there will be another wave,” he said. “Because everybody thinks, ‘I’ve gotten the vaccine,' or, 'I’m getting the vaccine next week. I’ve waited so long, I can be free now, right?’” Once there is more evidence about whether the current vaccines offer enduring immunity, “only then can we really start to relax a bit,” he said. As vaccinations begin around the globe, the question of how and when to ease COVID border controls will also confront other places, such as Australia and New Zealand, that have used their geographic insularity as a primary defense against the pandemic. Taiwan has already held fast to its entry restrictions and quarantines for much longer than many governments could without facing public backlash. The island’s economy has slowed along with the world’s during the pandemic, but it continues to grow at a decent clip. Japan and South Korea, two other Asian democracies praised for their virus responses, are now grappling with large flare-ups of new infections. But as successful and tireless as Taiwan’s health officials have been, the island has also benefited from sheer good luck, said C. Jason Wang, an associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. With the case count surging globally and a more contagious variant of the virus circulating in many places, greater numbers of infected people are bound to arrive at Taiwan’s borders, Wang said, which means it is only a matter of time before more positive cases slip past the government’s defenses. Taiwan on Dec. 30 confirmed its first case involving the new variant, in a person who had entered from Britain, tested positive and been hospitalized. In response, the government further tightened its entry bans and quarantine rules. “It’s remarkable that Taiwan has held the line for so long,” Wang said. But even if the island vaccinates its population by the middle of 2021, “then you’ve still got six months to go,” he said. “It’s really difficult to keep this up for another six months.” For Chen, 67, 2020 was a year of tough calls, even as he has pulled off a virus response that would be the envy of any public health official on the planet. In a recent opinion poll, Chen, a dentist by training, received a higher approval rating than any other top official, including his boss, President Tsai Ing-wen. He is being talked about as a potential candidate for mayor of Taipei, the island’s capital. His cool, unflappable mien at the government’s epidemic news briefings has won him an odd kind of celebrity. It is not every middle-aged health minister who is photographed clad in Gucci for the local edition of GQ. Yet in Chen’s telling, his decisions since the outbreak started have upset certain people at almost every turn. Like when he barred medical workers from leaving the island in February. Or when he announced in March that the island was forbidding entry by nearly all nonresidents. Many of the Taiwanese government’s ideas about dealing with the virus came from “feeling around in the dark,” Chen said. For instance, when a cluster of infections appeared on the Diamond Princess cruise liner in February, officials in Japan, where the boat had docked, allowed many passengers who tested negative to walk free. Some of them later tested positive. Taiwan took note. “By then it became very clear to us,” Chen said. “After you test, you have to quarantine both the positives and the negatives.” Taiwan’s emphasis on strict quarantines has helped contain infections without overwhelming its hospital system or incurring huge costs for testing. But some experts are now urging the government to test more widely, particularly at the border, to catch more cases that do not show symptoms. “We came up with many of our policies when there were a few million infections around the world,” said Chan Chang-chuan, a professor at the College of Public Health at National Taiwan University. “But now there are tens of millions, and we’re heading toward a hundred million. It’s a whole different stage.” Chan said he believed Taiwan should begin testing everyone at the border, not just quarantining them. It has already started doing this for people arriving from Britain, where the more transmissible variant of the coronavirus has been found to be circulating. Taiwan’s position has been that carriers of the virus who are asymptomatic after 14 days of isolation are not likely to be very infectious. Chen said he had no doubt that there had been some asymptomatic cases that never made it onto the government’s radar. “But if those infections are not causing problems, then should I spend a lot of energy trying to find those people?” he said. “Or should I focus my efforts on infections that are already causing problems?” It is unclear how much of a gamble this approach has involved. A study in The Lancet in October found that out of 14,765 people whose blood was sampled at a Taipei hospital, a lower share tested positive for coronavirus antibodies than in other countries. Yet the share could still imply a much higher number of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infections than is reflected in Taiwan’s official case numbers, the study’s authors wrote. “Basically, it’s a trade-off between how much money you want to spend and how much risk you want to take,” said Wang, the Stanford professor. As the global case count swells and more infections are likely to leak into Taiwan, “then it’s a matter of how much leakage you want in your house.” Dale Fisher, a professor in infectious diseases at the National University of Singapore, contrasted Taiwan’s tight border policies with Singapore’s more “nimble” approach. The city-state lifted restrictions on travelers from Taiwan, but Taiwan did not reciprocate. “We think that even if a traveler brought it in, we think there’s a good chance it wouldn’t spread anyway,” Fisher said. “If you’ve got no faith in your system, then that would make you keep the borders harder.” The real test for Taiwan, he said, is if the vaccines do not end up offering long-lasting immunity and the world needs to live with COVID longer. How well would Taiwan’s people bear being sealed off from the wider world for another year? Another five years? “This is why we’d say close your borders if you just want to buy time to get yourself organized,” Fisher said. “But don’t think of it as a strategy.”

How Taiwan plans to stay (mostly) COVID-free

Taiwan is on a record-extending 200-day streak. Since April 12, the country has not reported a single case of locally transmitted COVID-19. While different countries are battling a second wave, how is Taiwan keeping the pandemic at bay? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Taiwan's 200-day streak without local transmission

Taiwan will sign up to the "COVAX" global vaccine allocation plan to ensure it will be able to access a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, the island`s health minister said on Saturday.

Chen Shih-chung told reporters in Taipei that the government had engaged lawyers to enter discussions about signing onto the scheme.

Taiwan is also researching its own vaccine, a process Chen said was going smoothly.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the GAVI vaccine alliance are leading the COVAX facility, aimed at helping buy and fairly distribute vaccination shots against the novel coronavirus around the world.

But some countries which have secured their own supplies through bilateral deals, including the United States, have said they will not join COVAX.

Taiwan has reported fewer than 500 coronavirus cases, including seven deaths, thanks to early and effective prevention steps such as entry bans for most foreign visitors and tough quarantine requirements for those who do come to the island.

While Taiwan is not a WHO member due to pressure from China, which considers the island its own territory, the WHO has said it is committed to providing Taiwan with the help it needs during the pandemic.

The GAVI alliance is a public-private partnership backed by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO, the World Bank, UNICEF and others.

Taiwan will sign up to the "COVAX" global vaccine allocation plan to ensure it will be able to access a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, the island`s health minister said on Saturday.

Taiwan will sign up to the "COVAX" global vaccine allocation plan to ensure it will be able to access a COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, the island`s health minister said on Saturday. Chen Shih-chung told reporters in Taipei that the government had engaged lawyers to enter discussions about signing onto the scheme. Taiwan is also researching its own vaccine, a process Chen said was going smoothly. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the GAVI vaccine alliance are leading the COVAX facility, aimed at helping buy and fairly distribute vaccination shots against the novel coronavirus around the world. But some countries which have secured their own supplies through bilateral deals, including the United States, have said they will not join COVAX. Taiwan has reported fewer than 500 coronavirus cases, including seven deaths, thanks to early and effective prevention steps such as entry bans for most foreign visitors and tough quarantine requirements for those who do come to the island. While Taiwan is not a WHO member due to pressure from China, which considers the island its own territory, the WHO has said it is committed to providing Taiwan with the help it needs during the pandemic. The GAVI alliance is a public-private partnership backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO, the World Bank, UNICEF and others.

Taiwan plans to sign up for 'COVAX' vaccine allocation scheme

Despite facing threats from many fronts, Taiwan's success story to tackle coronavirus is well known and widely praised. In an exclusive conservation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Taiwan's Digital Minister and world's first transgender minister Audrey Tang shared insights on not just Taiwan's fight to COVID-19, but on a number of issues, including the Chinese aggression and on ban of Chinese apps by India.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-taiwans-digital-minister-on-wion-322855/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Taiwan has also been described as finding a 'hack' to the pandemic and Audrey decoded the region's success mantra to tackle the deadly virus, "first of all, we trusted the citizens, that's the most important part, then comes the technology and also medical masks".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/people-on-the-threshold-of-dying-were-saved-dr-dheeraj-kaul-on-c-plasma-treatment-322782">People on the threshold of dying were saved: Dr Dheeraj Kaul on C- Plasma treatment</a>

"I think there are three pillars for deployment of social innovation and that is fast, fair and fun."

Explaining the three "pillars", the Taiwanese minister said they started preparing for COVID-19 in December when Chinese doctor Li Wenliang first informed about novel coronavirus, which was unfamously brushed aside by China. He said from the beginning of January, Taiwan started inspecting flights from Taiwan to China.&nbsp;

Audrey also explained the "fun" part of Taiwanese model in which, they took the help of innovative memes and other posters to encourage people to wear masks and prevent themselves from contracting the disease.&nbsp;

When asked about how Taiwan helped governments without the help of World Health Organization (WHO), the digital minister said, "right before the World Health Assembly, we had our own digital pre-WHA Assembly that we shared this playbook also called Taiwan model which you can read about."

He further added that countries including the United States showed interest in Taiwan's model to control the pandemic and they started their own ministry-to-ministry conversation despite not provided access by WHO.&nbsp;

Audrey also expressed his concern over security and privacy issue faced by countries because of Chinese apps and said Taiwan is also working on Fundamental Act for Independence of Data which they hope to get it passed soon.&nbsp;

Reacting on India's decision to ban Chinese apps, the digital minister said, "We need a lot to learn from India on how to make such (privacy) assesments" of the safety of foreign softwares.&nbsp;

On the issue of fake news spread through social media, Audrey provided two solutions.&nbsp;

"Social media doesn't have to be anti-social," he said, explaining how there are websites that are used for learning new ideas and innovation.&nbsp;

He also said that Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites are not just filled with "outrage" and "divisiveness"

"We still see cute cats and dogs", he said, suggesting "humour" should counter "rumour" spread through these platforms.&nbsp;

Despite facing threats from many fronts, Taiwan's success story to tackle coronavirus is well known and widely praised. In an exclusive conservation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Taiwan's Digital Minister and world's first transgender minister Audrey Tang shared insights on not just Taiwan's fight to COVID-19, but on a number of issues, including the Chinese aggression and on ban of Chinese apps by India.

Despite facing threats from many fronts, Taiwan's success story to tackle coronavirus is well known and widely praised. In an exclusive conservation with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Taiwan's Digital Minister and world's first transgender minister Audrey Tang shared insights on not just Taiwan's fight to COVID-19, but on a number of issues, including the Chinese aggression and on ban of Chinese apps by India. Watch | Taiwan has also been described as finding a 'hack' to the pandemic and Audrey decoded the region's success mantra to tackle the deadly virus, "first of all, we trusted the citizens, that's the most important part, then comes the technology and also medical masks". Also read | People on the threshold of dying were saved: Dr Dheeraj Kaul on C- Plasma treatment "I think there are three pillars for deployment of social innovation and that is fast, fair and fun." Explaining the three "pillars", the Taiwanese minister said they started preparing for COVID-19 in December when Chinese doctor Li Wenliang first informed about novel coronavirus, which was unfamously brushed aside by China. He said from the beginning of January, Taiwan started inspecting flights from Taiwan to China. Audrey also explained the "fun" part of Taiwanese model in which, they took the help of innovative memes and other posters to encourage people to wear masks and prevent themselves from contracting the disease. When asked about how Taiwan helped governments without the help of World Health Organization (WHO), the digital minister said, "right before the World Health Assembly, we had our own digital pre-WHA Assembly that we shared this playbook also called Taiwan model which you can read about." He further added that countries including the United States showed interest in Taiwan's model to control the pandemic and they started their own ministry-to-ministry conversation despite not provided access by WHO. Audrey also expressed his concern over security and privacy issue faced by countries because of Chinese apps and said Taiwan is also working on Fundamental Act for Independence of Data which they hope to get it passed soon. Reacting on India's decision to ban Chinese apps, the digital minister said, "We need a lot to learn from India on how to make such (privacy) assesments" of the safety of foreign softwares. On the issue of fake news spread through social media, Audrey provided two solutions. "Social media doesn't have to be anti-social," he said, explaining how there are websites that are used for learning new ideas and innovation. He also said that Twitter, Facebook and other social media websites are not just filled with "outrage" and "divisiveness" "We still see cute cats and dogs", he said, suggesting "humour" should counter "rumour" spread through these platforms.

EXCLUSIVE | 'Fast, fair and fun': Taiwan's Digital Minister shares mantra to tackle coronavirus

62 nations are pushing a probe into the COVID-19 origin and India has formally articulated its stand. It has backed the call to conduct an impartial and comprehensive investigation.

India calls for impartial probe on COVID-19 origin

World Health Organisation's World Health Assembly will be held on Monday virtually but China is blocking Taiwan's participation. Watch this video to know more.

Taiwan seeks observer status vote in W.H.A, China oposes

Taiwan decides to put 700 Navy sailors under quarantine after 3 among them have tested positive for pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19). It's first time when COVID-19 cases reported in Taiwan's ministry.

Taiwan: 700 Navy sailors to go under quarantine after 3 among them tests positive for COVID-19

When the world is struggling to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic, a lot of questions are being raised on the nexus between China and the World Health Organization (WHO). On Thursday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused Taiwan of racism.&nbsp;

In the latest episode, China accused Taiwan of "venomous" attacks against WHO. For the unversed, Taiwan is an island that China considers its own, even though, the island declaring itself as an independent nation with a democratically elected government.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/millions-need-to-be-tested-new-york-reports-777-deaths-in-24-hours-291862">'Millions need to be tested': New York reports 777 deaths in 24 hours</a>

However, today Taiwan's Ministry of Justice has unearthed an online campaign done in the name of Taiwanese to apologize to the director-general.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-covid-19-death-toll-rises-to-record-980-fatalities-8958-people-dead-291859">UK COVID-19 death toll rises to record 980 fatalities; 8,958 people dead</a>

The investigations revealed that Chinese internet users are posting online as Taiwanese to apologise to Dr. Ghebreyesus on behalf of Taiwan's government. A number of such messages have started to appear on the internet. However, the users who posted these messages were Chinese.&nbsp;

"I feel extremely ashamed that we attacked Tedros in such a malicious way... I apologise on behalf of the Taiwanese and beg for his forgiveness," one of the messages said.&nbsp;

Now, these posts are making a dent to Taiwan's reputation, a small island that has dealt coronavirus well with only 382 cases and six deaths and is helping other nations too.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

When the world is struggling to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic, a lot of questions are being raised on the nexus between China and the World Health Organization (WHO).

When the world is struggling to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic, a lot of questions are being raised on the nexus between China and the World Health Organization (WHO). On Thursday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused Taiwan of racism. In the latest episode, China accused Taiwan of "venomous" attacks against WHO. For the unversed, Taiwan is an island that China considers its own, even though, the island declaring itself as an independent nation with a democratically elected government. Also read | 'Millions need to be tested': New York reports 777 deaths in 24 hours However, today Taiwan's Ministry of Justice has unearthed an online campaign done in the name of Taiwanese to apologize to the director-general. Also read | UK COVID-19 death toll rises to record 980 fatalities; 8,958 people dead The investigations revealed that Chinese internet users are posting online as Taiwanese to apologise to Dr. Ghebreyesus on behalf of Taiwan's government. A number of such messages have started to appear on the internet. However, the users who posted these messages were Chinese. "I feel extremely ashamed that we attacked Tedros in such a malicious way... I apologise on behalf of the Taiwanese and beg for his forgiveness," one of the messages said. Now, these posts are making a dent to Taiwan's reputation, a small island that has dealt coronavirus well with only 382 cases and six deaths and is helping other nations too.

Day after WHO's accusations of racism, Taiwan responds

Taiwan's parliament approved a $2 billion package on Tuesday to help cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on its export-reliant economy. The package includes loans for small businesses, subsidies for hard-hit tour agencies, tax cuts for tour bus drivers and even vouchers to spend on food in Taiwan's famous night markets, normally a top attraction for foreign tourists.

Taiwan's parliament approved a $2 billion package on Tuesday to help cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on its export-reliant economy. The package includes loans for small businesses, subsidies for hard-hit tour agencies, tax cuts for tour bus drivers and even vouchers to spend on food in Taiwan's famous night markets, normally a top attraction for foreign tourists. See: Five things to know about the state of Taiwan Taiwan, whose largest trading partner is China, cut its estimate for 2020 economic growth this month as the outbreak threatens its economy, which is a key part of the global electronics supply chain. "Although there are waves after waves of challenges, as long as everyone is united, Taiwan will pass this test," President Tsai Ing-wen told reporters, after signing the package into law at the presidential office. The bill was passed with rare bipartisan support in parliament, and only a little more than a week after the government proposed it. Also Read: Now, Taiwan sells face masks to fend off Chinese buyers "Our common enemy is the virus. The 23 million people in Taiwan will not be defeated," Hung Mong-kai, a lawmaker from Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang party, told parliament after the bill was passed. "God bless Taiwan." The island has logged 31 cases of the virus and one death, and has largely suspended travel and tourism links with China to curb its spread. China has reported more than 2,600 deaths. Included in the stimulus legislation is a clause penalising people who violate government-mandated home quarantine orders, with those in breach possibly facing a T$2 million fine or two years in jail. Taiwan has reported several cases of people who were supposed to be in quarantine going missing, posing a potential threat to public health.

Taiwan passes $2 billion package to soften coronavirus hit to economy