Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Ho-jen Tseng delivers his address during a ceremony marking Taiwan’s donation of medical supplies to France March 18 in Taipei City. (MOFA)

Taiwan has sent a large donation of medical supplies to France to assist the European country in combating COVID-19, spotlighting the government’s commitment to strengthening the global response to the pandemic, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs March 18.

Facilitated by the MOFA, Taoyuan City Government and French Office in Taipei in collaboration with northern Taiwan-based East Field Corp., Hsiner Co. and Union Biomedical Tech Co., the donation comprises continuous positive airway pressure masks, disinfectant sprays and surgical masks. The items are to be distributed to Colmar in northeastern France and branches of the French Red Cross to help front-line health workers tackling the disease.

Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Ho-jen Tseng said during a ceremony marking the occasion that the donation is the result of public-private collaboration between Taiwan and France. It builds on the two sides’ rock-solid relationship as demonstrated by the opening of a new representative office in Aix-en-Provence at the end of last year, as well as the European partner’s long-standing administrative and legislative support for Taiwan participating in international organizations including the World Health Organization, he added.

In response, FOT Director Jean-Francois Casabonne​-Masonnave praised the friendship between Taiwan and France, adding that times of crisis are the moments where acts of mutual assistance are most necessary.

In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said “#Taiwan & #France are burning the midnight oil in combating #COVID19. Deputy Minister Tseng was proud to host a #TaiwanCanHelp donation ceremony for essential items safeguarding the health of the people. Many thanks to all public-private sector partners for the collaboration!”

Other high-profile participants in the event included Taoyuan City Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan, Taiwan’s Representative to France Francois Chih-chung Wu, Aix-en-Provence office head Hsin Chi-chih, Colmar Mayor Eric Straumann and FRC representative Jean-Pierre Esterni. (YCH-E)