方恩格快评》「疫苗乞丐」有解方

台湾获立陶宛捐赠2万剂疫苗，引来「疫苗乞丐」的批评。对于台湾是否是「乞丐」的争论，有一个简单的解决方案。美国、日本和立陶宛捐赠给台湾的疫苗，台湾可以按市场价格迅速支付。（本报资料照）

日本宣布将捐赠台湾额外疫苗剂量的消息，肯定会引起关于台湾是否为「乞丐」的争论继续下去，尤其是跟随在美国宣布将提供额外疫苗剂量，以及立陶宛的小额捐赠之后。中央通讯社报导称，「据路透社报导，这笔捐赠是应台湾的要求，将于9月底交付。」

中央社依据路透社报导台湾向立陶宛提出要求，这有点不寻常；中央社难道不敢问政府？如果路透社的报导属实，则台湾寻求其他国家支援疫苗的观点是肯定的。台湾是「要求」还是「乞求」并不重要，关键仍然是台湾政府为何未能及早采购到足够的疫苗。

作为一个在台湾生活多年的美国人，如果一些政客将台湾描述为「乞丐」，我并不在意。台湾的评论员应该谨慎假设美国人如何看待台湾国内的政治纠纷，台湾民众更应该审慎地相信评论员所说的话。在台湾内部政治争端的言语，很少有美国人会注意或感到被冒犯。美国人可能会关注的是，台湾因为购买美国武器以及台湾半导体和技术产业的重要性定期出现在美国新闻中，为什么台湾还需要美国的捐赠？

台湾是富有的，中央财政肯定有能力购买足够剂量的疫苗，其他类似的富有国家也是这样做的。因此，对于台湾是否是「乞丐」的争论，有一个简单的解决方案。美国、日本和立陶宛捐赠给台湾的疫苗，台湾可以按市场价格迅速支付。台湾和美国都不是共产主义者，台湾也不是穷人。作为美国人，建议台湾政府、各政党都支持以这个方案解决「乞丐」说。

（作者为前美国共和党亚太区主席）

Taiwan's "Beggar" For Vaccines Dispute

by Ross Darrell Feingold

(Former Asia Chairman Republicans Abroad)

The announcement that Japan will donate additional vaccine doses to Taiwan will certainly cause the debate over whether or not Taiwan is a "beggar" to continue especially as it came so soon after the United States announcement that it will provide additional vaccine doses along with the small donation from Lithuania. The Central News Agency reported that "According to a report by Reuters the donation was in response to a request from Taiwan and will be delivered by the end of September."

It is unusual that the Central News Agency relies on Reuters to report that Taiwan made the request to Lithuania; did the Central News Agency dare not ask the central government? If the Reuters report is true it supports the view that Taiwan sought vaccines from other countries. Whether Taiwan "requested" or “begged” is not important because the key issue remains why Taiwan's government was unable to procure a sufficient supply of vaccines earlier.

As an American who has lived in Taiwan many years I am not offended if some politicians describe the situation as Taiwan being a "beggar". Commentators in Taiwan should be cautious about assuming how Americans view Taiwan's domestic political disputes and the public in Taiwan should be even more cautious about believing what commentators say. Few Americans will pay attention or be offended about what is said in a political dispute in Taiwan. What Americans might pay attention to is why Taiwan which periodically is in the news in the United States for its purchases of American made weapons as well as for the importance of Taiwan's semiconductor and technology industries needs a donation from the United States.

Taiwan is fortunately well off and it was certainly with in the financial capability of the central government to purchase sufficient doses of vaccines as other similarly well off countries have done. Thus there is a simple solution to the dispute over whether or not Taiwan is a "beggar". Taiwan can quickly pay at market price for the vaccines that the United States Japan and Lithuania have donated to Taiwan. After all neither Taiwan nor the United States are communists nor is Taiwan poor. As an American I hope all of Taiwan's politicians support this solution.

※以上言论不代表旺中媒体集团立场※